


Unannounced and Unexpected

by appending_fic



Series: Pentaflores [1]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Jungle Cubs (Cartoon), Talespin (Cartoon), The Jungle Book (1967)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Conversations, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Old Friends, Or Just a Good Friend, Teasing, Treasure Hunting, When No One's Certain if They're Being a Wingman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28300476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appending_fic/pseuds/appending_fic
Summary: Shere Khan's life is thrown into disarray when Scrooge McDuck, the most irresponsible millionaire Shere Khan knows, sweeps into Cape Suzette. Dealing with the man would be bad enough if he hadn't also been accompanied by a piece of Shere Khan's past - Bagheera, a pilot to rival even Baloo, who seems hidebound to reconnect with his old friend.
Relationships: Bagheera/Shere Khan (Jungle Book)
Series: Pentaflores [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163165
Comments: 53
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> @bubb (lollytea on tumblr) had a whole rant about how the Jungle Cubs cartoon offered enough characterization to figure out how Bagheera could fit within the Talespin setting, and why Bagheera/Shere Khan from such a background was compelling.
> 
> Hence this fic, because I'm easily swayed when it comes to rarepairs.

Ross had worked for Shere Khan for over a decade, and if there's one thing he'd learned about _surviving_ working for Shere Khan for more than ten years, it was the absolute necessity of learning to read Mr. Khan's moods. Mr. Khan's moods were, admittedly, difficult to differentiate - people joked that he'd been born with ice in his veins. But as a survival skill, it had served Ross well; he had, more often than not, managed to vacate a room moments before a deceptively calm Shere Khan had entered in a rage and sought to ensure everyone he could see had a worse day than he did.

Part of reading Mr. Khan's moods was paying enough attention to current events that you could figure out how things were going for him. Sometimes Mr. Khan was quiet not because he was calm but because he was seething, planning how to crush whoever was in his way, and knowing the difference between that and a (relatively) content Shere Khan could be the difference between life and death (metaphorically. Usually).

Ross had, consequently, earned a reputation of being 'keen', on top of things, and a good barometer of what was going on - both with Mr. Khan and the world at large.

So when the door to Shere Khan's office slammed open and _Ross_ jumped, everyone else on the floor edged back, expressions ranging from mild terror to eyeing the windows as a preferable alternative to facing the storm that was descending upon, yes, Ross realized with a sinking stomach, Ross himself.

Mr. Khan looked - angry was Ross' first thought, but Mr. Khan angry was far more composed than this. His teeth were bared, not the quick flash of teeth he used to leverage certain negotiations, but a fierce, silent snarl. His ears were erect, and the right one twitched as Mr. Khan slammed a hand on Ross' desk, claws gouging the wood as he looked down on Ross, one lip pulling back to widen his snarl.

"Why wasn't I warned about this?" Mr. Khan demanded, apropos of nothing, except for the thought that only now occurred to Ross, that if he were known for having a good idea what was going on in the world, _Shere Khan_ might have heard it, too.

But this was no time to get distracted worrying about what Mr. Khan knew about him. "About what, sir?"

" _Scrooge McDuck_ ," Mr. Khan growled, deep in his chest. "Why wasn't I told Scrooge McDuck was coming to Cape Suzette?"

It was an impossible thought, Ross thought, later that night, but the thought came to him anyway. Mr. Khan had been _terrifying_ that afternoon - but the threatening posture, the fierce expression, weren't what Mr. Khan was like when he was angry. They were big, threatening gestures - and with the odd little touch of the twitching, alert ears, told a different story.

The news had startled Mr. Khan, left him off-balance, and he'd fallen back on a childish display of ferocity to conceal his...nerves.

(Even with all the evidence available to him, Ross couldn't bring himself to conclude Shere Khan was _scared_. Startled, yes. Nervous, yes. Threatened, even, by the arrival of one of the world's greatest businessmen? Certainly. But nothing _frightened_ Shere Khan.)

* * *

Bagheera had worked for Scrooge McDuck for almost a year, and if there's one thing he'd learned about _surviving_ working for Mr. McDuck for more than ten months, it was the absolute necessity of learning to anticipate the fallout of Mr. McDuck's adventures. The fallout was, admittedly, difficult to anticipate - people who knew him joked that the only predictable thing about Mr. McDuck was how unpredictable he was. But as a survival skill, expecting - not the worst, but the most bizarre possible outcome - had served Bagheera well; he had, more often than not, managed to dive out of the way moments before _Mr. McDuck_ realized things had gone as bad as they possibly could go.

Part of that anticipation was paying enough attention to the sorts of things Mr. McDuck was reading so you could research the sort of complications that were likely. Sometimes the near-disasters weren't the result of some unanticipated aspect of the treasure in question but McDuck's own rivals, so keeping an eye on who had enough free time to interfere could be the difference between life and death.

Mr. McDuck had noted the _results_ , and come to the conclusion that Bagheera was keen, on top of things, and a handy animal to have in your corner - not to mention your cockpit (Bagheera had yet to discover if piloting was a skill that was simply beyond Mr. McDuck, or if he just preferred paying for the service).

So when Mr. McDuck burst into the quiet office he'd assigned to Bagheera (which, being larger than Bagheera's apartment, had become the home for most of Bagheera's books, and, as Scrooge McDuck was the only person who bothered him in here, a more peaceful place to read than his own bedroom), Bagheera felt his stomach jolt, because he had _no idea_ what was about to happen.

"We've found it!" Mr. McDuck declared, the familiar pre-adventure gleam in his eyes.

"Found what?" Bagheera asked, cautious. Nothing Mr. McDuck had seemed interested in recently could be said to be 'lost'.

"The Lost Lotus of Lemuria! Said to be one of the most wondrous artifacts of the ancients!" Mr. McDuck shouted, slapping his palm against Bagheera's desk, nearly dislodging a biography of Whistlestop Jackson. "Animals have been hunting it for centuries, and never found it, but I finally figured it out. Everyone's been searching around the Indian Ocean, where Lemuria was rumored to be, but I traced the legends of Lemuria to triangulate where the survivors of their lost continent would have settled. So pack your bags, Bagheera, and rev up the Cloudhopper - we're going to Cape Suzette!"

Bagheera blinked, stomach dropping like he had made a step expecting solid ground only to find himself in freefall. Because he had come to know, through some combination of correspondence and general osmosis, that Cape Suzette housed three animals who were part of his history - Louie, Baloo von Bruinwald XIII (he _still_ didn't know if that was a joke or not)...

And Shere Khan.

Mr. McDuck paused halfway out the door, squinting at Bagheera in a way Bagheera had only ever seen him look at ancient ruins and threats to life and limb - like he was a puzzle needing to be solved. Bagheera squirmed under the attention; he thought his childhood hanging around a boy who had subsequently become the world's most feared businessman would have inured him to any sort of disconcerting glare, but Mr. McDuck didn't do 'cool, bordering on threatening' glares. _This_ stare was assessing, picking apart whatever he was looking at, and it was somehow worse. 

Scrooge McDuck already prided himself on being "tougher than the toughies and smarter than the smarties", but Bagheera had seen him in action enough to know there was more to Mr. McDuck than even that. He was _sharp_ , good at seeing the angles to things, meaning if he were staring at you intently, he was figuring you out.

"What's the matter, Bagheera? Cape Suzette isn't going to be a problem for you, is it? I _can_ hire another pilot for this - admittedly, the chance of finding another who I'd trust to be able to deal with the pirates who run along the coast out there is slim."

Bagheera huffed and shook his head. "Not a problem, Mr. McDuck."

And Mr. McDuck tilted his head, that inquisitive look still on his face. "You have to be honest with me, lad. No matter how far we run, history has a habit of becoming - current events."

"It's not history, Mr. McDuck. Just...old friends."

And one of Mr. McDuck's eyebrows rose. "Friends or - old flames?"

And because he'd been thinking about _Shere Khan_ , Bagheera sputtered, because the _last_ thing he'd call Shere Khan was an 'old flame'.

"No, just...friends."

"That can be _worse_ , sometimes," Mr. McDuck muttered. "But as long as no one'll be trying to kill you, I can leave it alone." He was quiet, but didn't move. " _Is_ anyone going to be trying to kill you?"

Bagheera opened his mouth to reply before snapping it shut and giving the question serious consideration. Baloo and Louie, of course, wouldn't _try_ to kill Bagheera (not that the dozen or so times they'd all nearly gotten themselves killed as cubs were the result of any _intent_ on Baloo's or Louie's part). And Shere Khan… _could_ , but _wouldn't_. He'd only followed through on his casual threats on animals who'd tried to push his friends around - even at his most furious, the worst he'd ever done was stalk off rather than put up with whatever was irritating him about his friends that day.

"No," Bagheera said, at last, before biting his lip.

And Mr. McDuck laughed. "By which you mean none of _your_ old friends are going to try to kill us."

"We don't _always_ run into - animals you know," Bagheera offered, gently. "But your adventures aren't exactly...safe, even without outside interference."

"Well, that's what I've got the world's best pilot for," Mr. McDuck replied. 

"That's nice of you to say, but-"

"You tell me when you find a better pilot," Mr. McDuck continued, "and I'll amend that assessment. Now come on, we've got a flower to find."

In other circumstances, Bagheera would have listened intently to Mr. McDuck as he discussed the sparse history and legends surrounding the Lost Lotus. Mr. McDuck might have been tougher than the toughies, smarter than the smarties, and sharper than the sharpies, but Bagheera was - well, a lot more cautious than most professional pilots. In _some_ ways, he watched the angles like Mr. McDuck, but mainly to pinpoint any risks to his well-being. Mr. McDuck studied the legends for the possibilities; Bagheera studied the legends to identify the danger.

But Bagheera was otherwise occupied with thoughts of…

Well, Shere Khan.

'Old flame'? Ha! Shere Khan had been a glacier - a looming figure, cold, unyielding, and theoretically deadly, even as a cub. He had been _cool_ , as self-possessed as a pre-adolescent could be, and, in young Bagheera's eyes, all a panther - or leopard or cougar or _whatever_ \- could aspire to. Bagheera hadn't exactly followed Shere Khan around, but he _would_ have if Shere Khan hadn't appeared in their clubhouse often enough without prompting that it was clear Shere Khan sought out Bagheera and the rest of his cubhood friends for something their companionship gave him.

And then they'd parted ways - Shere Khan off to private school and university and eventual ownership of the largest company in the world, and Bagheera to flight school and war and eventual employ by a duck who was angling for the spot of richest animal in the world. 

'Flame' - any sort of heat - had never really figured into it.

Probably.

They hadn't spoken since Shere Khan had left - hadn't even exchanged letters. And without that - continuity of experience - Bagheera couldn't trust his memories of the two of them together. Back then, the...accusation that he had some sort of a crush on a boy would have - well, Bagheera, who didn't start fights, probably would have hit them.

Things were different, now - Bagheera had experienced enough that the suggestion was neither unpalatable nor objectionable, and his employer was substantially more open-minded on the subject than most other people Bagheera had met.

And yet…

Well, Bagheera had been a cub, and had no idea who the tiger he'd known at that age had grown up to be (except whatever pieces of his life made it into the papers). 

Still, the thought of seeing Shere Khan again filled his stomach with butterflies. Baloo, and Louie, if they found each other, would reunite in the way old friends did - back-slapping and hugs and inane questions. Shere Khan, if Bagheera met him again…

He couldn't imagine _how_ that meeting would go.

* * *

Staring out the window of his office, overlooking Cape Suzette, Shere Khan drummed his fingers against the arms of his chair.

Scrooge McDuck.

It wasn't that he was _frightened_ of McDuck. Aside from Scrooge being a _duck_ instead of a properly fearsome creature like a tiger, Shere Khan hadn't done anything to earn the infamous ire of Scrooge McDuck. Shere Khan tried not to involve himself in the petty, destructive feuds the other businessmen of his time indulged in, and rarely indulged in the globetrotting treasure hunts that McDuck was known for. 

So there was little reason to presume McDuck had any business with Khan Industries, let alone Shere Khan himself. It was more likely he was pursuing another of his boondoggles, some mythical artifact or lost treasure or archeological find that would land him in the papers for a week before he delved back into whatever he did while he wasn't chasing down things out of storybooks.

(It was, Shere Khan thought, with only a mild flicker of annoyance, unfair that so many of the things other cubs had run around and played about - magic and monsters and buried pirate treasure - which Shere Khan had dismissed as childish, _immature_ \- were, on average, more real than not. If he'd had a chance to choose between his position as wealthy industrialist and globetrotting adventurer - well, there was no point in wondering.)

There was an obvious concern, naturally. Scrooge McDuck brought trouble - rivals, enemies, and the consequences of disturbing things that should have stayed buried. And while McDuck _generally_ tried to make amends for any damage his adventuring incurred, Shere Khan was opposed to needless destruction in his city. 

But also-

Scrooge McDuck inspired an unfamiliar feeling in Shere Khan, a combination of nausea, buzzing nerves, and a hot tightness in his chest.

Scrooge McDuck made Shere Khan feel…

Like Shere Khan was, possibly, not _quite_ the greatest businessman in the world.

Certainly, Khan Enterprises was _bigger_ than McDuck Enterprises. But Khan Enterprises had, in some form or another, been around before the duck had shined his first shoe. If Shere Khan were ahead of McDuck, it was because he'd had a head start - not only the business he'd… _inherited_ (he'd had to prove himself, but they wouldn't have offered that chance to any animal off the street), but the schooling and tutoring to ensure he would be ready when the time came for him to take the reins.

Thinking about McDuck left Shere Khan with the uncomfortable worry that he didn't know if he could have done what McDuck had - to build up a business like McDuck Enterprises from _nothing_. And there was no way to prove it one way or another. Even if Shere Khan were to strike it out on his own, to seek out a place where they'd never heard the name Khan, he would still profit from advantages McDuck had never had.

In short, Scrooge McDuck made Shere Khan feel…

_Inadequate._

(And now that he'd acknowledged the word lurking in his subconscious, he could set it aside and do his best to forget it was there.)

The only consolation to all of this was that, except for a perfunctory meeting to remind McDuck that Cape Suzette was more than the backdrop to his adventures, in the hopes it would limit the inevitable catastrophe that his little adventure caused, Shere Khan had very little reason to interact with McDuck during the entirety of his visit.

That thought gave Shere Khan the resolution to set aside these worries and get to work - _he_ couldn't abandon his responsibilities for weeks at a time to hunt down - magical gemstones or lost civilizations or whatever it is adventurers looked for.

Unfortunately, the flight from Duckburg to Cape Suzette was short enough that between the time Shere Khan received the report of McDuck's flight plan and his scheduled arrival, Shere Khan got very little done. Vague hopes that McDuck's flight would be delayed were dashed when his secretary announced the arrival of McDuck's plane, the Cloudhopper (Shere Khan spared an annoyed thought for whoever was flying McDuck's plane, who, given the nature of his employer, should have been more like Baloo, crashing into a landing strip three hours late and boasting of the air pirates they'd fought off along the way).

So Shere Khan rose from his desk and stalked - steadily, calmly - from his office. He wouldn't rush for _Scrooge McDuck_ , but he wanted his warning to make maximum impact, and that required making a showing as soon as possible.

McDuck's plane was at the dock already when Shere Khan's car arrived - a red and gold cargo plane that was in better repair than Cunningham's, and a decade newer, at least. The duck himself was unloading a series of bags that probably contained the tools of the trade (if gallivanting around the globe treasure-hunting was a 'trade').

Shere Khan stopped a few yards from McDuck, stood up as high as he could without straining, and cleared his throat, which could bring a crowded bar to silence in a moment, but made no apparent impact on McDuck.

Shere Khan narrowed his eyes for a moment before affecting a look of calm professionalism. "Scrooge McDuck," he said, and that, at least, caused McDuck to raise his head, one eyebrow lifting at the sight of Shere Khan.

"...Khan, is it?" McDuck asked. "Your company's based here."

It _probably_ wasn't a deliberate slight, forgetting Shere Khan's first name, so he let the anger settle in his stomach, to redirect at more deserving targets later. And at least McDuck _knew who Shere Khan was_ ; if McDuck hadn't, Shere Khan might have briefly debated giving McDuck a scar to remember him by (he _wouldn't_ , but considering doing so was usually a sign Shere Khan was reaching the end of his nerves).

"Yes. McDuck Enterprises rarely makes an effort to expand into this market," Shere Khan said, adding a hint of a question, and a touch of a threat, into his tone.

McDuck either didn't notice or didn't care, as he laughed. "Ach - McDuck Enterprises still isn't trying to 'expand into this market'. I'm here on - personal business, you might say."

"Treasure hunting," Shere Khan corrected, and McDuck narrowed his eyes - suspicious, Shere Khan guessed. "Are you surprised that your peers are aware of the way you spend your time?" he asked. "Your escapades are public...at times distressingly so."

McDuck's expression hardened. "What's your game, Khan?"

" _Shere_ Khan," Shere Khan said, a little more forcefully than he'd meant, before taking a steadying breath. "My 'game', as you call it, is doing my part to protect this community from criminals, troublemakers, and the sort of disasters of all type that follow your appearance." 

"Do you expect me to believe you're here as a show of - civic responsibility?" McDuck demanded.

"I have no interest in what you believe or choose not to believe," Shere Khan replied, raising a paw to examine his claws. "I am simply here to remind you that wherever your adventure takes you, there are consequences for people outside your little coterie."

"You're acting like I'm going to rampage through the city if no one's there to stop me," McDuck retorted, folding his arms across his chest, settling in for an argument. "I don't know how much you know about my exploits, but _I_ don't make a habit of the sort of destruction you're implying-"

"You don't have to perpetrate any sort of destruction yourself to be the cause of it," Shere Khan said, smooth, slicing through McDuck's building rant. "And before you demand what the consequences will be if I deem you responsible for any sort of damage to my city, I will say: nothing. I have no legal authority to demand recompense for any damage performed by anyone other than you. But I will be displeased, and from what I've heard, you have few enough friends in the world of business."

He could see McDuck's stance shift, an eyebrow quirking as he considered if Shere Khan were threatening him or...something else, and Shere Khan allowed himself an internal smile.

And then everything went sideways as an animal stepped off the plane's gangplank, wiping their paws with a rag.

"I'm sorry for the wait, Mr. McDuck, but like I tell you every time, taking the time to double-check everything before we leave the plane could be the difference between getting out of town before things go straight to hell, or - you know, not." 

The panther paused, looking up, past McDuck to Shere Khan, where their gaze (yellow, steady but wary) paused. Their fur was nearly pitch black (ironically _terrible_ for any meaningful stealth), only their muzzle and nose breaking up the solid color. They were dressed in an immaculate dark red jumpsuit despite the suggestion they'd been digging around the ship's guts until a moment ago.

And Shere Khan opened his mouth, startled to find he had _no idea_ what he was going to say.

"I wish you'd warned me we'd be meeting with Shere Khan, Mr. McDuck," the panther said, with only a hint of his cubhood anxiety, as his gaze flicked away from Shere Khan to his employer (an ugly cubhood emotion took that moment to rear its head, the fierce burn in Shere Khan's chest whenever he feared Bagheera and the others' interest or regard for him was waning). "He's one of the, ah, old friends I mentioned."

Shere Khan couldn't, later, recall exactly what he said at that point. He considered it a victory that he hadn't actually fled, hadn't left any evidence that he might have been _afraid_ of Bagheera (one of five living creatures who would claim friendship with Shere Khan, even in the past tense).

Because he wasn't _afraid_ , of course. He'd been startled, not simply by something unexpected, but something he _never could have foreseen_. The **only** reasonable course of action in that sort of situation was to retreat, regroup, and research, to get the measure of this new factor.

Scrooge McDuck running around, he knew how to handle. Bagheera…

Not even remotely.

* * *

As their boat chugged into the port of Cape Suzette, John D Rockerduck straightened his tie and glowered at his traveling companion. "While I am sure your expertise is - expert, this trip would have been much faster if you'd agreed to travel by first class-"

"It is among our goals to remain unnoticed," the other animal replied, flashing his teeth from the shadows of his wide-brimmed hat. "McDuck is not the only creature in pursuit of what we seek, and it is _imperative_ it ends up in our possession."

"Oh, absolutely," John agreed, patting his companion on the shoulder (though he yanked the hand back when it earned a black-eyed glare from the other). "But speed-"

"Is immaterial. Locating our quarry before our competition does will not improve our chances of possessing it. We are better served observing them and devising means of impeding their progress."

John felt a smirk tug up at his beak as he shook his head. "You continually surprise me, Zura - I've not met a creature as cunning as you since McDuck."

And Zura clicked his tongue, a sort of scoff. "I've met creatures far more cunning than Scrooge McDuck. Stronger ones, and smarter ones...and one or two that might be all three. None that could also match his _luck_ , though."

"Well, everyone's luck has to run out _someday_ , right?"

"That is my hope," Zura replied, flat.

"And when the Lost Lotus of Lemuria is ours, the world will be our oyster!"

"An entirely appropriate metaphor," Zura agreed.


	2. Chapter 2

"I certainly didn't intend to put you in an awkward position," Mr. McDuck said as he paused to squint at the street signs marking their current location. "But you were so close mouthed on the subject-"

"It's fine," Bagheera repeated, wondering, for the third time, if Mr. McDuck knew where they were going. "To be honest, I think it was more awkward for Shere Khan - I at least expected him to be here; he hasn't heard from _me_ in over ten years."

"A, uh, falling-out?" Mr. McDuck asked, voice hesitant.

"A growing apart," Bagheera replied, grabbing the straps of Mr. McDuck's pack before he could wander off. "Do you have any idea where we're headed?"

"The Cape Suzette Regency," Mr. McDuck said absently. "We're going to need a base of operations, and it was the only place who offered free breakfast."

"Well," Bagheera said, turning in place. "That should be easy enough. Excuse me?" He flagged down a passing rodent. "Can you tell us where the Cape Suzette Regency is?"

The stranger pointed toward Bagheera's back. "Half-a-mile back that way - you'll turn left at Water Street, and you'll recognize it because there's two drugstores on opposite sides of the intersection."

Bagheera tried not to sag in disappointment, and smiled, polite. "Thanks."

"No problem!" 

Mr. McDuck waited until the animal had moved on before shaking his head. "Well, my map's clearly useless." Bagheera caught it as Mr. McDuck tried to toss it on the ground, giving the duck a stern look, which he ignored. "Come on." He waved Bagheera on as he turned around, and Bagheera followed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. It might be easier traveling with Mr. McDuck if he were more like Shere Khan - furiously denouncing any criticism as unthinkable, confident of his rightness so long as objective reality allowed some doubt (and even then until he could retreat with some dignity). Mr. McDuck's drive and ambition was tempered with more tolerance for setbacks than most people Bagheera had ever known, and more than _anyone_ he'd worked for.

It was disconcerting.

"Yes, I'd agree Khan didn't expect to see you - I worried we'd run into a Medusa, the way he froze," Mr. McDuck commented as they walked. Bagheera tried not to let it surprise him that Mr. McDuck had noticed - _Bagheera_ had barely noticed Shere Khan's shock. But it was just another sign of Mr. McDuck's general perspicacity.

Bagheera hummed in agreement, uncertain how to respond.

"You mentioned that the two of you haven't been in touch...for a while," Mr. McDuck continued.

"Hn," Bagheera agreed. "He went off to school and we never heard back from him." Even though Bagheera had _made an effort_. He'd liked Shere Khan, and had been certain Shere Khan felt the same, even if he hated other animals knowing it. Letters, Bagheera had thought, were almost the perfect way to keep on their friendship - they didn't require Shere Khan to be seen enjoying himself with other animals, and didn't even need to be kept as a possible sign of sentimentality.

"You look a bit down about that," Mr. McDuck said, sympathetic, and Bagheera bit down an angry retort, because he couldn't yell at his _boss_ for reading Bagheera's moods the way he had Shere Khan's.

Still, a sullen, "What's it to you?" slipped out.

Mr. McDuck didn't reply by shouting, or firing Bagheera, but kept walking, steady. "Well, I'm curious, for one. For another, letting things like this go has a habit of backfiring on me. And for another, well - you've been working for me for nearly a year. We might not be _friends_ , but making sure you're doing well is important to me - from a _practical_ standpoint, at least."

The last part was undoubtedly true - the sort of pilot who would take Mr. McDuck where he wanted to go rarely had the caution necessary to get back out. Keeping Bagheera healthy and happy could be seen as an investment. The first was to be expected - you didn't traipse across the world following rumors of lost libraries and histories if you didn't have an inquiring mind. And the second - Bagheera bristled at the thought _he_ might be one of the complications in Mr. McDuck's adventure (especially as Shere Khan had seemed more concerned with Mr. McDuck than Bagheera).

But in all that was the hint Mr. McDuck actually _cared_ about Bagheera, which was...well, they probably _would_ never be friends, but caring about Bagheera's well-being did a lot to endear Mr. McDuck to him.

"You're a quiet lad, and I've never been certain if you just prefer keeping to yourself or if one of those - big hurts is keeping you bottled up," Mr. McDuck said, which.

Well, Bagheera had met Goldie O'Gilt once, and had heard Mr. McDuck make muttered imprecations against a bear named Santa Claus, so wasn't certain Mr. McDuck had a place to worry about _other_ animals keeping old hurts bottled up. Mr. McDuck all but had his own factory for bottling things up.

"It's not old hurts, Mr. McDuck," Bagheera decided on. "I _like_ keeping to myself. I had friends as a cub, but those were - cubhood friends. We grew up, grew apart, and seeing Shere Khan again's just-"

"Like being struck in your heart with all those faded memories," Mr. McDuck mused, an uncharacteristically poetic statement, but possibly expected, presuming his mind was lingering on _his_ old hurts.

And - relatable. Seeing Shere Khan again had brought the whole mess of admiration, hope, and disappointment Bagheera's friendship with and subsequent distancing from Shere Khan had caused.

"It's been years, anyway," Bagheera said after taking a moment to compose himself. "If Shere Khan had any interest in seeing me again, he _more_ than had the means."

And if Bagheera came across as bitter in that declaration, Mr. McDuck was kind enough not to mention it, just hummed as he kept walking.

"It's not the worst idea, though," Mr. McDuck said after a minute of quiet. "Trying to reconnect. It's easy, when you haven't talked to someone for a while, to just...keep on not talking. So even if - you enjoyed having them around, you just let it go, and let it go, and not talking gets easier, and talking gets harder."

"I wasn't the one who stopped talking to _him_ ," was all Bagheera could manage, rather than voice any one of a dozen thoughts that Mr. McDuck's comment had inspired. " _I_ wrote him _letters_."

"That doesn't mean you can't be the one to start talking again," Mr. McDuck replied. He was quiet another moment before he took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm not saying you have to do anything, lad, but - there aren't rules to these things. If you - ever wish he were still a part of your life, you can be the one to reach out."

And of course Mr. McDuck was right; nothing had ever stopped Bagheera from trying to write again, now that they were adults, settled in their lives, and (possibly) a little more mature than they'd been as stupid cubs.

Nothing except the fact that writing to Shere Khan, or now, seeking him out, asked a question, raised the possibility Bagheera would get an answer. And the problem with getting answers was that they often weren't the answers you wanted.

Bagheera had, for a time, considered Shere Khan his best friend, and had, by process of elimination, assumed he was Shere Khan's in return. And one consolation to their drifting apart had been the quiet belief that if the circumstances were right, the two of them could be (probably) best friends again.

But however standoffish Shere Khan had been as a cub, he was so much more so now - Bagheera could more easily imagine Shere Khan dismissing any overtures of friendship as bad for business (more accurately, he could imagine Louie _mimicking_ Shere Khan saying that, which was equalling disappointing, but more entertaining).

Noting a sidelong glance from Mr. McDuck, Bagheera realized he'd been completely quiet for several blocks. "I'm sorry - that was rude."

"Ach, not at all - I dropped some pretty weighty thoughts on your shoulders," Mr. McDuck said. He didn't ask for more, but he'd already admitted to asking about Bagheera's personal life to indulge his curiosity. 

...And it wasn't as if seeking advice from Mr. McDuck could _hurt_.

"It's not that I don't appreciate your - thoughts," Bagheera said. "But this isn't about - talking being hard. It's...finding out whether my friendship is wanted."

"Ah. _That_ sort of thing." Mr. McDuck huffed a little. "It takes courage to face something like that down. The upside is that an answer, one way or another, lets you move on from worrying about it."

Unfortunately, putting off the terror of dealing with things by just worrying about them was Bagheera's _modus operandi_ , so he let the anxiety simmer all night and woke up having decided to avoid ever interacting with Shere Khan for the rest of his life.

Bagheera found Mr. McDuck at "breakfast" (a sideboard of fruits and pastries which Mr. McDuck was surreptitiously slipping into his pockets). He found a cup of coffee before joining Mr. McDuck at a table with a series of maps spread over half of it. Bagheera considered setting his cup down on a clear portion of table before deciding to keep it in his hands, where it was less likely to spill.

"Are you planning to head out today?" Bagheera asked.

"Well, first, if you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate your assistance in the actual hunting down lost artifacts portion of this expedition," Mr. McDuck said as he nibbled a grape. "Information about the Lost Lotus of Lemuria is - sparse, so I haven't identified anyone who can act as a guide. In fact, I was going to spend most of my day in the local university's library, trying to rustle up leads."

"I can help with the research-"

"Oh, absolutely not," Mr. McDuck said, folding his maps up inexpertly (Bagheera winced as the crumpled paper went into a pocket he couldn't say for certain was absent a danish) as he stood. "I'm already asking you to traipse through - well, I'm still working on where exactly we can expect to find the Lost Lotus - so you explore the city and enjoy yourself. We'll meet up back here at six sharp to find dinner and debrief."

Mr. McDuck's declaration was clearly not a suggestion, shooing Bagheera away as he departed for the university, leaving Bagheera to his own devices in a city he'd never been to before.

...Well, at least he had a map.

Except for Khan Industries (which Bagheera resolutely ignored), the map had few details Bagheera could use for navigation. So in the end, he asked at the front desk of the hotel, receiving a brochure that talked up a handful of local businesses, landmarks, and historical facts.

The first thing to do, Bagheera decided, was to find a proper breakfast. This led to a few minutes of aimless wandering, trying to locate the smell of bacon or sausage that would suggest somewhere that would feed him something other than bread. And it ended with a collision when Bagheera, sniffing at the air, stepped around a corner into another pedestrian.

"Watch where you're going," the stranger grumbled, before making a sharp gasp. " **Baggy**?"

A grey sloth bear was staring down at Bagheera, mouth slack-jawed, eyes almost comically wide. And Bagheera felt some of the jangling of his nerves die down.

"Baloo," he said, offering his old friend a smile. "I'd have dropped by if I'd remembered where you live."

"Aw, you should have asked around - anyone could point you to Higher for Hire,," Baloo replied, slinging an arm around Bagheera's shoulder, pulling them side-by-side. "How long have you been in town?"

"I just flew in yesterday," Bagheera said.

"Well, then let me show you the wonders of Cape Suzette," Baloo said, at which point Bagheera's stomach growled.

Baloo's smile widened into a smirk. "Although it sounds like you might want to _taste_ the wonders of Cape Suzette, first."

"Ah." Bagheera felt his face heat as Baloo laughed and steered him back the way Baloo had come from. He'd spent long enough away from Baloo that he was unused to Baloo's exact brand of affectionate teasing, so felt off-balance, even though Baloo was all but holding him up. "I was looking for breakfast when I-"

"Ran into me?" Baloo asked with a wink. "No worries, Book. I've still got plenty of padding - and Becky's assured me my head's hard as a rock!"

"That's…" Bagheera decided to ignore the old nickname as Baloo pushed through the door to a crowded restaurant. "I can get breakfast myself," he protested. "You're probably busy, and-"

"Since when have I been busy enough I can't squeeze in a good meal with an old friend?" Baloo retorted, holding up two fingers to the hostess as he sinuated through the tables with a grace that would have made Kaa jealous. "Mind, Becky might be annoyed, but she's the sort who looks for things to worry about."

Bagheera nodded, distracted, as he eyed the menu scrawled on a chalkboard above the counter. "Becky - is that your wife?"

"Ha!" Baloo replied, slapping the table. "Naw, Becky's great, but we've got one of those 'complicated' relationships. A little like you and Khanny when we were cubs, but less chemistry."

"What?" Bagheera felt his hackles rise at the implication. "I wasn't-"

"Cool your jets, Baggy," Baloo said, patting one of Bagheera's paws. "Didn't mean anything by it - just that something was always simmering between the two of you. Always thought you two were gonna end up being best friends or worst enemies. Or best enemies, maybe." He waved down a server and rattled off a monstrous order that sounded like more than enough for _four_ animals, before adding, "and a second, for my friend Book here." The server was gone before Bagheera could protest, before Baloo suddenly _winked_ at him - not just any wink, but the one that had always made Bagheera nervous. "Besides, we both know it's not an implication you'd _object_ to, nowadays."

"Yes, well." Bagheera shrugged, eyes falling toward the table between them. "That's - generalities. We are talking specifics. Namely, Shere Khan, who by all public accounts doesn't believe in interpersonal relationships at _all_ \- much less _romantic_ ones."

Baloo's eyes narrowed and his grin widened, which meant Bagheera had let something slip that Baloo believed had given him some sort of leverage.

(But Bagheera couldn't bring himself to care - Baloo had, during their time in flight school and beyond, proved a more calming influence than he had when paired with Louie's chaotic energy. Bagheera could trust him not to turn that sort of leverage into anything that might heighten Bagheera's anxieties.)

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, Baggy. You're a romantic - you always had these big, romantic dreams about you and Khanny-"

" _I wasn't in love with him_ ," Bagheera snarled as he leaned in close.

Baloo didn't seem intimidated by the response, instead shrugging as he leaned back. "Never said you were. But you always talked about the future like Shere Khan was gonna be the biggest name in the world, and you'd be his loyal sidekick - or partner, if you were feeling particularly good about yourself. These big lives, just the two of you. Say, what is it you're up to, nowadays? Not still in the army, are you?"

"Ah...no." Bagheera fumbled for a response, some sort of mental footing from Baloo's (mostly accurate) judgment of young Bagheera's aspirations. "I'm working for McDuck Industries - as Mr. McDuck's personal pilot."

"Still globetrotting," Baloo mused, "but not _quite_ the life you dreamed of."

"What's it to you?" Bagheera demanded. "That's all just - cub stuff. I grew up, you grew up, _Shere Khan_ grew up. There's no way our lives were going to be what we imagined-"

"Cept for Shere Khan," Baloo said. "He always knew what he was going to be."

And Bagheera...paused, rather than responding. Because Baloo had been living in Cape Suzette for...a while, at least. He'd had more opportunities to observe Shere Khan than Bagheera had. And there was something in his tone…

"How _is_ he, by the way?" Bagheera asked.

Baloo didn't slump, or frown, but he wasn't smiling, either. "He's the richest tiger in the world. Just like he was always going to be."

It wasn't a denunciation - Baloo had never picked a fight with Shere Khan about his aspirations the way Louie had ( _once_ ). But Baloo wasn't at ease - he was _hunched over_ , rather than slumped down, and one ear was askew. And Bagheera…

Remembered.

The others had often joked about Bagheera following Shere Khan around (trailing him 'like a puppy', Kaa had often cooed), which had briefly made Bagheera so self-conscious he'd tried to avoid Shere Khan for a week and a half, during which Shere Khan grew increasingly snappish. Baloo had eventually sat Bagheera down and pointed out Shere Khan was more than capable of telling Bagheera to go away if he didn't want Bagheera around. 

It had made Bagheera think, and led him to a hypothesis. That Shere Khan...didn't really have a lot going on in his life. Or at least that Bagheera and his friends were more interesting than whatever _was_ going on with him. There had been substantial evidence in support of the hypothesis, and then-

Shere Khan left.

Of course they'd all been growing up, and out of all of them, Shere Khan knew best where he was headed. But Bagheera had thought there was ample evidence…

For a hypothesis that didn't pan out.

Baloo, though, seemed to think...something.

One of Bagheera's paws clenched as his stomach twisted in sympathy. "Nothing's...wrong with Shere Khan, is there?"

"How would I know?" Baloo replied with a loose shrug. "Khanny doesn't like company, and doesn't have time to hang around with a cargo pilot and a guy who runs a bar."

It was a reasonable response - and even in-character for an animal with the sort of responsibilities Shere Khan had. But animals weren't meant to be alone, the reason why Bagheera had long ago hypothesized Shere Khan sought out Bagheera and his friends. Admittedly, Bagheera might understand why Shere Khan might not want to spend time with Louie or Baloo - two animals who'd tried his patience even in the best of times.

"And on top of that, it's always hard to get in to see him if he isn't expecting you," Baloo said. "Me and Louie stick out like a sore thumb. You, though...I bet you'd blend right in."

It was an odd statement, but one that stuck with Bagheera through breakfast, after which Baloo gave Bagheera his number, told him not to be a stranger, and excused himself for 'urgent business' that hadn't been apparent during their leisurely breakfast.

It was entirely transparent, but Bagheera couldn't say he minded. Where Mr. McDuck's suggestion had been insufficient to encourage Bagheera to approach Shere Khan, Baloo's subtle worry provided...well, an appealing justification for seeking out his old friend. If Shere Khan were lonely, he would never _tell_ anyone, and knowing that roused the shadow of Bagheera's at times ingratiating idolization of Shere Khan. If there was something _Bagheera_ could do that would make Shere Khan happy, Bagheera owed it to his younger self to try.

The Khan Industries building was imposing - the tallest in the city, with the Khan Industries logo plastered over the doors. For all that, it made Bagheera smile, remembering Shere Khan's tendency to lounge on the highest point available - up trees, on top of walls - even the backs of benches, if there was no other option. 

Bagheera only reflected for a moment - he was here for a reason, and it wasn't recalling the time he'd broken his clavicle following Shere Khan up a tree. He braced himself and ambled into the building, trying to radiate an appropriately confident facade.

Later, he wasn't certain it had been necessary. The first person he'd asked about Shere Khan's office had glanced at the left side of his chest before providing concise directions that took him to the top floor. When Bagheera, feeling a bit wary, stepped out of the elevator, a half-starved tiger intercepted him.

The tiger smiled at Bagheera. "Good morning - now I know they sent you up to see Mr. Khan, but he is a busy tiger, and I generally handle the first stage of interviews-"

"Interviews? What do you think I'm up here to do?"

The tiger took a step back, looking Bagheera up and down before squinting up at him. "...Apply for a pilot position?"

Bagheera looked down. He was wearing his jumpsuit, a good suggestion he _was_ a pilot, but not, he'd thought, a sufficient reason to allow him within (he squinted along the length of the desks just outside the elevator) a thousand feet of Shere Khan's office.

"I-"

"Oh, don't look nervous _now_ ," the tiger said, waving one paw, dismissive. "It's true Mr. Khan only hires the best, but that's _his_ decision to make." He glanced at his watch, clicking his tongue. "Actually - he's got a small opening in his schedule; I'll take you in to see him."

So before Bagheera could protest, the tiger swept him across the office to a massive set of golden doors that turned out to be _another_ elevator.

"Go on up - he'll tell you when the interview's over," the tiger said, pressing a button in the elevator before darting out.

"But-" The door closed before Bagheera could voice his half-formed protests, and the elevator was going up. Despite passage into Shere Khan's office being what Bagheera had (theoretically) wanted, he found his chest fluttering as the elevator slowed and stopped, the doors sliding open without a sound. 

A high-ceilinged room stretched away from Bagheera, lightless except for the floor-to-ceiling window bracketing an office desk. The path from the elevator to Shere Khan's desk was lined with rows of lush jungle foliage, a walk that kept any approaching animal under Shere Khan's gaze from the moment they exited the elevator.

It was so unnecessarily ostentatious that Bagheera felt a flush of fondness for the clear echoes of the melodramatic cub he'd once known. There were, it seemed, some things that never changed.

Shere Khan was facing away from Bagheera, but at Bagheera's first steps toward him, Shere Khan swiveled his chair around, eyes barely widening before they narrowed into a steady stare. He didn't speak as Bagheera approached, remaining silent even as Bagheera stopped just out of reach of his desk. Bagheera took a moment to assess Shere Khan's mood. His posture was taut, one hand absent-mindedly gripping the arm of his chair while the other rested on his desktop. His eyes were narrowed, but were watchful, his body showing none of the anxious energy that signaled anger. Someone less familiar with Shere Khan's habits could mistake his demeanor as threatening, but Bagheera knew better. Something unexpected had happened, and Shere Khan was waiting to see what sort of thing it was - whether it _warranted_ anger.

"Hey, Shere Khan," Bagheera said with a wave. "I actually wasn't certain if you'd remember me or not-"

"I'm not so addle-minded to be incapable of remembering someone who spent as much time attempting to ingratiate himself to me as you did when we were cubs," Shere Khan said, voice smooth, flat - annoyed that Bagheera thought so little of him. "But I find myself at a loss as to what motivated you to impose yourself on my time."

Telling Shere Khan he'd thought Shere Khan was lonely would be the quickest way for Bagheera to be kicked out of this office and not allowed back. But Bagheera's other reasons were a nebulous mix of nostalgia, curiosity and longing - missing an animal who'd once been his best friend. But since _lying_ wasn't an option (he'd never managed to keep anything from Shere Khan _before_ Shere Khan had clawed his way to the top of the business world), Bagheera had to settle for some variation on the truth.

"I wasn't sure if I'd upset you, earlier," Bagheera said. "Obviously, we live hundreds of miles apart and haven't spoken in _years_ , but I wouldn't want to think I'd _upset_ you."

"And in order to determine whether you had upset me, you infiltrated my business under false pretenses, entered my office uninvited, and interrupted my work."

And Bagheera knew that tone - Shere Khan wanted Bagheera to squirm, worry over what Shere Khan might do in retaliation. Shere Khan had always done this when he was bored - needling whoever he thought was most susceptible to falling apart under the weight of Shere Khan's gaze. He was a master of keeping that stern expression no matter how certain you were he was just messing around. The only person who'd ever been able to beat it was Louie.

Bagheera shrugged, slipping his hands casually into his pockets. "I don't know about pretenses - I just said I wanted to meet with you and people just kept waving me on. And your secretary said you had a few minutes, so...but say the word and I'm out of here." He smiled at Shere Khan, calling up the ghost of young Bagheera to manage an earnest, accommodating smile.

And Shere Khan...dropped his gaze away, toward some papers on his desk. Bagheera's heart felt light, suddenly - a vindication of his hypothesis. Shere Khan was perfectly capable of telling Bagheera to leave if he wanted to - there were probably guys hiding behind a door somewhere whose jobs were throwing people out of the building on Shere Khan's command.

"Well, allow me to assuage your concerns - I was not the least bit perturbed by anything you said or...did." Shere Khan signed a piece of paper, slipped it into a drawer, and paused, glancing back at Bagheera. "Don't let me detain you," Shere Khan murmured.

And Bagheera, emboldened by the absence of hostility, leaned against Shere Khan's desk, eyeing the plants lining the office. "Mr. McDuck actually left me to my own devices today - he's digging through a university library somewhere."

"Hm. McDuck," Shere Khan said, his lip curling up. " _You_ spent most of your childhood with your nose in a book - I would presume you'd be happier in the library than watching me work."

"He wanted to give me some time off - he expects me to go with him when he finds-" Bagheera cut himself off abruptly, realizing Mr. McDuck wouldn't necessarily appreciate Bagheera divulging his secrets to business rivals.

Shere Khan, though, snorted - a brief, rough sound. "I don't have any interest in stealing McDuck's secrets - those relating to his adventures, at least. I find the challenge of running an international business conglomerate occupies sufficient time that I rarely find myself tempted to take sojourns into unexplored wilderness for treasures I could easily purchase myself."

Bagheera ducked his head. "Still…"

"Fine - keep McDuck's secrets," Shere Khan grumbled. "But unless you're any better in a fight than you were when we were cubs, I wouldn't consider you an asset in a McDuck-brand adventure."

"I'm taller," Bagheera retorted, unwilling to acknowledge that he hadn't progressed much beyond being able to beat an adolescent bear in an impromptu wrestling match about half the time over the years. "And McDuck-brand adventures require more agility than combat skill - dodging temple traps, evading hostile wildlife and guardians of mythical artifacts."

"Is that what he's paying you for?" Shere Khan asked, his brow furrowed. "I was under the impression you were his pilot."

"How did you know that? And for that matter, they assumed I was looking for a position with _you_."

"You _are_ wearing an outfit associated with pilots," Shere Khan retorted. "McDuck isn't the sort to fly his own planes if he can pay someone else to do it, and I didn't see anyone else on the plane. Aside from that, I _was_ aware it was your chosen profession."

Bagheera's chest tightened as he took a steadying breath. Given that Shere Khan clearly hadn't been gossiping with Baloo and Louie, this was nearly an admission of Shere Khan having received (of having _read_ ) Bagheera's occasional letters to him, before he'd given up on writing to someone who didn't write back. Eyeing Shere Khan, Bagheera briefly toyed with the thought of demanding an explanation. But that wouldn't do anything but derail the conversation, threaten their fragile reconnection.

"And you actually interview all of your pilots?"

"My pilots are entrusted with cargo, transportation of my other employees, and, on occasion, myself," Shere Khan replied. "As a result, I consider it vital to personally ensure their fitness for that responsibility. I've expanded my vetting process for most of my other employees, as well, after one of my mine foreman took me hostage."

"Hostage?" Bagheera asked, fighting a fluttering quail of fear. "Are you-"

A sharp glare from Shere Khan stopped Bagheera up short - it wasn't amused anymore, but slightly less controlled, a sign Shere Khan was agitated. "I am _quite_ capable of taking care of myself," Shere Khan said, voice professional and short - almost clipped. "And they kidnapped someone else, anyway." His eyes brightened as he _smirked_ toothily. "I don't believe anything will replace the memory of stepping off a plane to confront two people who believed they had Shere Khan in their custody."

Bagheera chuckled, earning a brief, reflexive glare from Shere Khan. Bagheera, though, shrugged. "What? You're right - it's an arresting image, you doing that imposing Shere Khan stalk toward someone who absolutely deserves it. They must have been terrified."

And Shere Khan's scowl gave way to a smile - not even a smirk, but a small, understated smile, an expression even Bagheera had rarely seen, because 'contentedness' was an emotion that was slightly foreign to Shere Khan. "They _were_ terrified, yes," he agreed.

And Bagheera couldn't help it - he snickered again, shaking his head. "And how did they figure they'd kidnapped you?"

Shere Khan huffed, as close to a laugh as his earlier snort. "I still don't fully understand how, but Baloo convinced them his mechanic was me, and as no one who worked there could tell the difference between a scrawny lion and a Bengal tiger, the misunderstanding persisted until I arrived to correct it."

"So, you and Baloo...talk?"

Shere Khan's eyes narrowed. "We have an understanding. He doesn't act like we're friends, and I don't disabuse him of that notion."

And Bagheera felt his mouth twitch into a fond smile, because...they'd all grown up, and that time and distance had changed them. But in some ways, they hadn't changed at all.

* * *

John stumbled back into the hotel room he shared with Zura and collapsed on his bed, groaning. After a moment, he lifted his head enough to glare at Zura - possibly an expression of displeasure.

"How did you get back here so fast?" John demanded. "I had to go half a mile out of my way to ditch the cops."

"I have a...an 'invisibility cloak' is probably the most accurate description," Zura replied. "And I only have one, so it wouldn't have helped you to know about it."

"And what's your excuse for not helping me back in the library?" John asked. "Scrooge McDuck is a dirty fighter; I could have used another pair of hands on my side."

Zura shrugged. "I wasn't aware you needed my assistance. You were in no danger of dying at any point during your confrontation."

"I wasn't worried McDuck was going to _kill_ me," John snapped. "I was trying to keep him away from those books-"

"None of which indicated where he might find the Lost Lotus," Zura said.

" _Which he now knows_!" John screamed, hopping in place. He was irritated, Zura guessed. "We could have pulled ahead of him if he still thought there was something useful in that library, but now he knows as much as we do."

"Unlikely," Zura replied, "but your concern is noted. In the future I will endeavor to assist in preventing our enemies from acquiring key intelligence."

"Yeah, thanks," John growled. He was silent for a few minutes before speaking up again. "You still haven't explained what this Lost Lotus thing is."

"I'm not certain myself," Zura replied. "It is a remnant of the treasures collected by a powerful sorcerer, but which item it is, exactly, I am not sure. I assure you, however, that it is an item of fantastic power."

"Well," John replied, mollified. "As long as it's _powerful_."

"Oh, I promise you," Zura murmured, "the Lost Lotus could refer to _many_ possible items, but every single one of them are artifacts of _tremendous_ power."


	3. Chapter 3

"Aha!" Mr. McDuck slammed an open book on Bagheera's bed, pointing at a dense block of text. "I got it!"

"The location of the Lost Lotus of Lemuria?"

"Well, no." Mr. McDuck slumped for a moment before pointing at the block of text. "Legends about the Lost Lotus of Lemuria are notoriously sparse, but all of them agree it's an item of fantastic power. Consequently, anyone with information about it tucks it away somewhere no one's meant to find it. I found a book that mentioned a journal written by an explorer who actually laid eyes on the Lost Lotus of Lemuria. Or, well, John D. Rockerduck found it and I wrenched it out of his manicured hands. I've spent the last few hours trying to figure out who, of the many explorers who passed through the Cape Suzette area, actually encountered the Lost Lotus of Lemuria - and I've found it. Wren Cabrillo first explored the coast of Calisota, and made mention of an ominous fog in some accounts of the voyage. I found a summary in this book that indicated a portion of the crew was sent to explore the fog, and that one of those members kept a journal believed to detail that portion of the expedition."

"Well, that sounds like a productive day."

"Absolutely!" Mr. McDuck crowed. "The only hiccup is Rockerduck - he knows there's a journal somewhere that'll lead him to the Lost Lotus of Lemuria, too."

"...Do you need me to go with you?" 

"Ha!" Mr. McDuck barked. "The day I'm not tough enough to take on John D. Rockerduck is the day I might as well hang up my hat."

"That's probably for the best. I was - recently reminded I'm not much use in a fight."

Picking up his book from Bagheera's bed, Mr. McDuck raised an eyebrow. "Recently? Does that mean you went to see Shere Khan?"

"I - a little. I wanted to make sure I didn't upset him yesterday."

"Well, that's kind of you."

Bagheera shrugged, a little uncomfortable at the attention. "I never liked the idea of Shere Khan being mad at me." Mr. McDuck was frowning, so Bagheera pushed forward. "He - always had enough going on. I didn't want to put more stress on him. And he was my _friend_."

"Well, admirable nonetheless," Mr. McDuck concluded. "In any case, I'll be spending my day fast-talking the people at the Cape Suzette Historical Society, so you can entertain yourself on your own, if you want."

Bagheera agreed, in part to avoid an argument, even if he wasn't sure what he'd do all day. He doubted Cape Suzette really had enough to do in it to occupy him for a day, and however much he'd enjoyed talking to Baloo and Shere Khan, Bagheera wasn't certain he'd be welcome if he sought either of them out again.

...Still, that uncertainty had never stopped him from seeking out Shere Khan as a _cub_ , so letting it do so _now_ felt like giving up.

* * *

"Sir?" Shere Khan glanced to Rolf, his secretary, who quailed under the force of the mild look. "That, uh, panther who infiltrated your office yesterday is on his way up."

Shere Khan had had nearly twenty-four hours to adapt to Bagheera's reappearance in his life, so was certain he gave no outward reaction, but he _did_ take a moment to compose his thoughts, because he hadn't expected a _return_ visit after the strange, stilted conversation the day before. He'd rambled on about - McDuck, and his hiring practices, brushing off all attempts to 'catch up'. He saw no reason for Bagheera to return - they had even less in common now than when they'd been cubs, when it had seemed sometime only proximity had held them together.

"And you find yourself unable to divine what course of action I would like you to take," Shere Khan mused.

Rolf cleared his throat. "Well, yes. You generally don't approve of interruptions-"

"And yet you sent him in here yesterday," Shere Khan replied.

"I thought he was a pilot candidate!" Rolf protested. "And you didn't call security."

"No, I didn't," Shere Khan said. "Bagheera is an associate I have not seen in some time."

"One...you want to see?" Rolf asked, voice going a little high.

"That is, Rolf, a _personal_ question." Shere Khan fixed his secretary with a narrow stare, causing the other tiger to shift anxiously. "But to answer your original, implied question, Bagheera should be allowed entry if he wishes to see me. And if he does not, show him the door...politely."

"Of course, sir." Rolf took a step back before pausing. "Remember, you have a Board of Directors meeting in twenty minutes."

"Has anything changed recently that would lead you to believe I was no longer capable of remembering my schedule?" Shere Khan retorted.

"Ah - no, sir," Rolf stammered. "I'll just...go."

"Do so," Shere Khan said, and turned to his paperwork. The day's work was - dull, he mused, mind drifting as he idly signed several orders without reading them first. As he shredded the last on discovering it was a poor deal, the door to his elevator opened to admit Bagheera. He was dressed in casual clothing - a tight, cream-colored shirt with long sleeves hanging to the top of his wrists, untucked from rough linen pants - and paused when he saw Shere Khan looking at him.

Bagheera's ears fell to the side, his nose twitching, anxious. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"If I recall correctly, you never concerned yourself about that when we were cubs," Shere Khan replied. "I don't see why that would change."

"Because we're adults." Bagheera took a few steps forward, frowning. "You have responsibilities and - important things going on that I shouldn't just interrupt."

"I assure you, if you were interrupting something important, I would tell you to leave in no uncertain terms," Shere Khan said. 

Bagheera nodded and continued forward, slow but steady, until he was standing just on the other side of Shere Khan's desk. He stood a little shorter, smaller, than Shere Khan knew him to be, but he wasn't shaking.

"It looks important."

"Just because it's been written down and put on my desk doesn't mean it's important," Shere Khan said. "No amount of money can keep an animal from having to deal with paperwork."

Bagheera chuckled, a deeper laugh than he'd had as a cub - a little rougher, as well, but still a pleasing sound (it was a victory, at least - Bagheera had always been a little too anxious to laugh easily). "You always gave the impression you thought becoming rich and powerful would mean you could do anything you wanted."

" _Broadly_ , yes," Shere Khan corrected. "And I certainly _could_ delegate these tasks to secretaries and assistants and accountants."

Bagheera shook his head hurriedly, mouth curved up into a slight smile. "I don't actually think you _could_. Letting other people do your job runs the risk of them deciding they don't need you around to get it done, and I can't imagine you putting up with _that_."

It was bold, almost irreverent (if true), and because _no one_ in Shere Khan's life could do so without consequence, it shocked a laugh out of him. Bagheera started, jerking up to his full height as he stared at Shere Khan.

"What?" Shere Khan demanded.

Bagheera stood still for another few moments before shrugging, though he was smiling again. "Louie always said you'd never learn to laugh at yourself."

Shere Khan raised an eyebrow at Bagheera. "I don't recall Louie ever being right about _anything_ , so I find myself unsurprised he was wrong about this."

"Still," Bagheera added, "I could go."

"Do you _want_ to leave?"

"Ah." Bagheera's right hand clenched at his side, mouth twitching.

And recognizing the interplay of Bagheera's pride and his affection for him, Shere Khan decided not to let Bagheera stew in his anxiety, and smirked. "I'm not certain why I bothered to ask - I can't recall you ever leaving me alone of your _own_ accord."

Bagheera's jaw clenched briefly as he stepped back. "If I'm bothering you-"

"I should think you know me well enough to know that you - aren't," Shere Khan said, the words sticking in his throat. 

And Bagheera's eyebrows went up, though he seemed unwilling to meet Shere Khan's gaze. "I'd...hoped," he said haltingly, "when we were younger. I wasn't - sure. And...now? I don't know."

And Shere Khan took another steadying breath. He'd committed by acknowledging that he found Bagheera's presence tolerable. If he didn't follow through, it would be as bad as if he hadn't said anything - and he'd known, from Bagheera's posture, that if Shere Khan had refused to acknowledge his...fondness for Bagheera, the panther would leave. Bagheera was an adult, and in the process of growing up, had clearly gained enough of a spine to give up trailing after a tiger who rarely acknowledged him, no matter how cool that tiger was.

So if Bagheera left, the chances of him sweeping back into Shere Khan's life _again_ would be all but nonexistent - the only chances of seeing him again would be if _Shere Khan_ reached out.

Consequently, if Shere Khan wanted Bagheera to have any place in his life, he had to choose between a sincere expression of his feelings now, or a sincere expression of his feelings _plus_ an apology at some point in the future.

And Shere Khan…

Running Khan Industries was what he'd always wanted to do - what he always _was_ going to do. The thrill of outmaneuvering his rivals was unmatched, and yet.

The most exciting moments in his life over the past decade had involved the animals he'd known as a cub - those few creatures whose histories had left them with no fear of Shere Khan, no matter _how_ much wealth and power he'd accumulated.

But Shere Khan had no desire to socialize with Baloo or Louie outside of those exciting moments. 

Bagheera, however, was intelligent in a way Shere Khan had grown to appreciate; had, apparently, developed a sense of humor; and his employment by Scrooge McDuck notwithstanding, was a steady, reasonable creature.

As a youth, Shere Khan had believed (had been taught to believe) emotional attachments were a distraction from what was _really_ important. And Bagheera and his friends _had_ been a distraction. They'd got Shere Khan into trouble...a few times. But he'd never been able to go more than a few days before showing up at their hideout or tracking down Bagheera.

And then he'd left them behind and grown up, roughly in that order.

"You were - never an annoyance," Shere Khan murmured, drumming his fingers along the edge of his desk. "And while this reunion was - unexpected, it has been...more pleasant than I expected seeing you again would be. Especially given...everything."

He kept his gaze steadily on Bagheera, because he could afford practically everything, but not showing weakness. So he saw Bagheera's furrowed concentration, the slight baring of his teeth, and the fact that he was still looking six inches down and away from Shere Khan's eyes. He suddenly huffed out, his shoulders squaring, and looked up to meet Shere Khan's eyes. He was - almost smiling (or was that just Bagheera's smile? It was like him, understated, dignified).

"It almost sounds as if you...like me," Bagheera said, and Shere Khan huffed in response.

"If you want to describe my feelings in such a pedestrian manner," he muttered, "then yes. Despite all appearances to the contrary, I am capable of feeling affection for other animals-"

" _Affection_?" Bagheera retorted, mouth flicking up into a smirk, eyes - well, it was an expression Shere Khan was more used to seeing on Louie's face, so 'playful' might be reasonably accurate. "Careful, Mr. Khan - or other animals might think you're going soft."

It took every ounce of self control not to lash out, automatically, at the suggestion that Shere Khan was soft, _weak_. Because Bagheera had known (or suspected) Shere Khan cared about...them all, and it hadn't eroded his respect for Shere Khan at all (because Shere Khan couldn't imagine young Bagheera respecting him _more_ ).

Shere Khan _did_ drop his gaze to a contract, something routine he signed with just a quick glance. "I'm generally thought to be an intelligent animal, so it should be unsurprising I have concluded having friends is...not a weakness."

"Does...that make us friends?"

" _That_? Of course not," Shere Khan said, smooth. "You've been my friend ever since that - unpleasantness with Mahra and her...gang. However long of a...hiatus we have experienced in our companionship, my feelings on the subject have not changed."

When Shere Khan glanced back up, Bagheera's hand was clenched in the fabric of his shirt, over his heart, and his eyes were a little wild, wide. They were wavering, as if...wet? Bagheera wiped at his eyes, and the hint of - whatever - was gone.

He was smiling, though.

"When I was ten, hearing you call me your best friend would - the guys probably would have said it was everything I wanted-"

"I don't recall calling you my 'best friend'," Shere Khan replied.

Bagheera raised one eyebrow, smile shifting into that _smirk_ which...was less upsetting than the same expression on other animals' faces. "I don't recall you tolerating anyone more than you did me."

"I tolerated _Louie_. You, I **liked** ," Shere Khan sniped. "And in light of _that_ fact, your assessment is...not inaccurate. And anyway, they would have been wrong."

"Pardon?"

Shere Khan sniffed. "The guys. Saying being my best friend was everything you wanted. You wanted to explore the Library of Alexandria."

"You remembered that?" Bagheera asked, voice a little shaky.

"Of course," Shere Khan retorted, voice, he realized with chagrin, a little sharp. "It seemed important to you. In retrospect, it isn't surprising you gravitated toward McDuck."

His intercom buzzed. "Mr. Khan? Your meeting with the Board starts in just a minute."

" _Thank you_ , Rolf," Shere Khan growled, before offering Bagheera a smile he hoped looked apologetic (he wasn't used to _looking_ apologetic - money was usually sufficient apology to get people to stop complaining, but would not help this situation in the slightest). "I can postpone-"

Bagheera snorted. "There's no need, Shere Khan. I'm not going to make you upend your entire schedule to keep me entertained. I'm a grown-up - I can make my own fun."

But Shere Khan wasn't ready for this...meeting to be over. Even if Bagheera were right (he had rarely disagreed with Shere Khan, but had a distressing track record of being right when he did so) and Shere Khan shouldn't skip his actual meeting with the Board of Directors, Shere Khan wanted this - connection to continue. Bagheera had grown up - had acquired whatever sort of nerve was necessary to tease Shere Khan, retained enough understanding of Shere Khan to know when it was safe to do so, and picked up the confidence to walk away if he needed to.

It made conversing with Bagheera feel more like talking to an equal than it ever had as cubs.

(And Shere Khan had grown up - had acquired the self-assurance so he didn't need to prove himself at every opportunity, had retained the edge Bagheera had always looked up to, and picked up _a_ sense of humor, even if it wasn't the one Louie had thought he should have.)

"Very well." Shere Khan stood, pausing when he saw Bagheera turning to leave with him. "Ah." Bagheera turned back, and Shere Khan felt heat at his neck, tension in his chest. "I wouldn't complain if you...I'd - _appreciate_...I. Stay. _Please_."

And Bagheera's smile was wide, toothy at the edge because he _never_ remembered how a smile full of fangs unnerved some animals, but it was alright because it meant Shere Khan knew it was genuine.

"Do you have anything to read?" Bagheera asked. "In case the meeting goes long?"

Shere Khan raised one eyebrow and swept his hand up toward the library perched over the elevator door. "It's not Alexandria, but it keeps me occupied."

The meeting was not short; you didn't get on the Khan Industries Board of Directors by being the sort of animal who just skimmed quarterly reports. But Shere Khan had let Bagheera loose on his private library, ensuring that Shere Khan would find him buried in something Bagheera hadn't known he _owned_ , much less read, no matter _how_ long the meeting took.

His presumption was proved correct when he returned to his office and Bagheera was sitting in a chair surrounded by books; he held one open, focused enough that he didn't seem to notice Shere Khan's return until Shere Khan tapped one of the stacks next to him.

"I see you have properly made yourself at home."

"You _said_ I could read here during your meeting," Bagheera said as he settled his book in his lap. He was smiling, before the expression smoothed out more neutrally. "Your, uh, Rolf brought me lunch a - while ago. Did you eat?"

"I was at a Board meeting, not a lunch buffet," Shere Khan replied. "And as it was a _productive_ meeting-" He paused, sensing a shift in the atmosphere of the library. Bagheera, seated in the chair, was staring at Shere Khan, expression pinched, brow furrowed, _frowning_ -

Was he _glaring_ at Shere Khan?

"That's it, we're going," Bagheera snapped, setting his book on the stack next to him. He rose, grabbed Shere Khan's wrist, and stalked toward the elevator, dragging an unresisting Shere Khan after him.

Shere Khan was-

He didn't - touch other animals more than necessary. He maintained a demeanor that kept other animals outside of his personal space. Even as a cub, his friends had maintained that distance, even as they wrestled or shoved or dragged each other around or hugged (if they were feeling sentimental).

Bagheera, it seemed, had kept that distance out of uncertainty how much Shere Khan would tolerate, and seemed to take the assurance he was (had been) wanted as leave to bridge the _physical_ distance.

"Do you intend to disclose our destination?" Shere Khan asked as the elevator door closed. "Or am I being kidnapped?"

"Ah-" Bagheera let go of Shere Khan's wrist and jerked his hand back, stepping back a step himself, fingers twiddling against each other. "I wasn't thinking."

"That was quite evident," Shere Khan replied. "Not many animals would have dared if they _were_ thinking. You surprised me...but it was not a wholly unpleasant surprise." He cleared his throat. "Still, if you have an idea where-"

"To be honest, I don't have a _specific_ destination," Bagheera said. "But you need to eat something before you faint."

Shere Khan, off-balance from most of what had happened since Bagheera had entered his office that morning, replied without thinking. "I admire the concern, but I am in no danger - I rarely eat during the work day."

"Then we are _definitely_ getting you food," Bagheera said, words clipped, hand snapping out to ensnare Shere Khan's wrist.

And Shere Khan…

Let himself be pulled across the office floor, downstairs via a _second_ elevator, and out of the building, bemused. He'd forgotten that Bagheera's worries weren't exclusively self-directed, that he'd fussed over _all_ of them - his solicitousness toward young Shere Khan likely the closest he could manage to _worrying_ about a prideful, short-tempered tiger cub.

"You're going to have to tell me what you like to eat," Bagheera said as they stepped outside. "And where to get it - I literally have no idea where anything is."

And Shere Khan couldn't help it - he started to laugh. He'd have simply played along with no comment if Bagheera had led them to a restaurant, but this - Bagheera taking charge only until he realized he had no idea what he was doing - it was so reminiscent of their childhood, something Shere Khan would have mocked Bagheera for when he'd still thought he had to knock others down to remind them how much better he was than them. But now - it was kind, and absurd, and…

Shere Khan had missed this.

"Very well. If you insist on forcing me to eat, there is a restaurant I am...fond of several blocks away."

Bagheera was quiet the entire walk over, until they were seated, and Shere Khan ordered. Shere Khan let the quiet settle; when it was just the two of them, silence had been the norm, and it was pleasant having company that made no demands on him.

"I hope...you let yourself enjoy things," Bagheera said at last, tapping a claw against his wine glass.

"I enjoy my work," Shere Khan replied. "Or, my accomplishments, anyway. I work with my plants."

"You have a lot of books about explorers in your library," Bagheera said, bringing Shere Khan up short.

"Yes, well."

"I remember you looked up to Mr. McDuck when you were younger," Bagheera mused.

"Things change. I have no desire to balance the demands of the business life and the rigors of a globetrotting treasure hunter."

"It still...interests you, though. Doesn't it?"

Shere Khan eyed Bagheera over the edge of his wine glass as he sipped at it. Once upon a time, Bagheera had possibly been the least manipulative of all of them, but Shere Khan couldn't be certain that hadn't changed.

Still, Shere Khan was loathe to distrust Bagheera.

He shrugged. "As I said, my responsibilities leave little time for the sort of recreational travel McDuck gets up to, but I have never lacked...curiosity about the world."

Bagheera snickered, quickly covering his mouth when Shere Khan glared at him. "It's only natural," Bagheera replied to Shere Khan's raised eyebrow "We're _cats_. Curiosity comes naturally to us."

"Well, yes, if you want to engage in crass stereotypes," Shere Khan muttered, and Bagheera, in response, waggled his eyebrows - not a true argument, but _playful_ , and Shere Khan chuckled despite himself. "What about you?" he demanded. "Ferrying McDuck around the planet isn't a proper hobby."

"I read," Bagheera retorted.

"Travelogues?"

" _Everything_ , more or less," Bagheera said.

"Really. Then elucidate me," Shere Khan said, "about something you've been reading."

Shere Khan hadn't thought of this conversation as - something he was being graded on, but at Bagheera's wide smile before he delved into an explanation of something to do with astronomy, Shere Khan realized he'd said exactly the right thing.

They stayed for dessert and coffee, and when they left, paused outside the restaurant. Shere Khan floundered, willing to acknowledge he wanted their afternoon (evening) to continue, but uncertain how to do so.

"You know, I've been in town two and a half days and haven't even called Louie," Bagheera said.

"Ah," Shere Khan murmured, batting away the tinge of disappointment. He couldn't reasonably expect to monopolize Bagheera's time, not when he had _other_ friends in Cape Suzette, all of them easier to get along with than Shere Khan. "I am given to understand if you visit his establishment, you will enjoy yourself."

"You've never been?" Bagheera asked, elbowing Shere Khan's hip. 

"Well, once, but it was a...professional visit, and the property was not at its best."

"Then come with me!" Bagheera declared, throwing his arms wide. "Louie would be delighted to see you again, I'm sure."

Shere Khan _wasn't_ sure, their last conversation coming in the wake of Shere Khan's own employees attempting to dismantle Louie's bar or evict him from his island home. But Bagheera's smile was energizing, if not actually contagious; Shere Khan found himself reluctant to diminish that smile by declining the invitation.

"We can take one of my planes," Shere Khan said. "Which you will not be flying," he added. "If Louie encourages you to indulge, you will be in no shape to fly us _back_."

Bagheera's smile went sharp as he laughed, shaking his head. "Alright. I can manage being a passenger for one night." He looked Shere Khan up and down before nodding once. "But how about we meet back here in - an hour? It'll give me time to check in with Mr. McDuck, and you to get changed." He grinned toothily. "Unless you don't actually own clothing other than full suits."

It was unfair, Shere Khan mused five minutes later as he stared into his closet, that he didn't have the heart to wipe that smile off of Bagheera's face. If Baloo, or Louie, or _Kaa_ had said something like that, he'd have threatened to tear their faces off and it would be over. But Bagheera - well, he was trying to _encourage_ Shere Khan, rather than embarrass him.

And that meant…

Shere Khan was up here staring despairingly at his collected wardrobe for something that would show Bagheera he was relaxing without unduly threatening his public image.

He wasn't sure an hour was long enough.

* * *

Mr. McDuck was in their hotel room when Bagheera returned, a dozen books scattered across his own bed; he didn't look up when Bagheera opened the door, though he started when Bagheera let it swing closed.

"Ah! Bagheera!" Mr. McDuck nodded to him before turning back to his books. "I hope you had a pleasant day."

"Ah - yes, I did. I saw Shere Khan, and we spent some time talking. He's got a fantastic private library, you know."

"Might be one of the few private collections I didn't look through today," Mr. McDuck grumbled.

"Ah - are you alright?" Bagheera asked hesitantly. 

"Ach, I'm _fine_ , lad," Mr. McDuck said, waving his hand at Bagheera. "Never liked this part of adventuring - hunting down obscure clues in dusty libraries - always preferred finding hints in media res, if you get my drift. Still, I gave Rockerduck the slip early, so I doubt he's as far along as I am in figuring this out" He grinned at Bagheera, and Bagheera smiled back, tentatively.

"Oh, uh, sure," Bagheera agreed, skirting around Mr. McDuck's bed. "You don't, uh, need any help, do you?"

"I'm _fine_ , lad," Mr. McDuck replied. "Ha, don't think I can't hear your reluctance - you have big plans tonight?"

"Shere Khan and I are meeting up with another old friend," Bagheera said.

"Ah," Mr. McDuck said with a sly wink. "Good to hear the two of you are getting along. Shere Khan's always been severe - all about his work, no hobbies, no one, ah, special. Maybe catching up will do him so good."

"Maybe," Bagheera agreed, before pausing, eyeing his employer, whose feathers were ruffled. "Would you like to join us?"

"Ha!" Mr. McDuck scoffed, slapping his knee. He winked at Bagheera. "You don't need an old man like me hanging around while you're trying to enjoy yourself. Besides, I wouldn't want to give Khan any funny ideas. Go on, have fun - I'll keep you up to date."

"Thanks, I'll - try to be quiet when I come back in."

"Ach, don't bother. This is looking like it's going to be an all-nighter."

* * *

John stormed back into their hotel room, slamming the door behind him; Zura, sitting up straight in his bed, didn't look up from his book.

"And where were you?" John demanded, pointing at his...guide (he refused to consider Zura his partner, especially with how little help Zura had been).

Zura raised his head, covered with a strange mask painted like an eagle, and smirked, flashing his teeth beneath the mask as his left ear twitched. "Reading," he said.

"I thought you were going to _help_ me!" John snapped. "I spent all day chasing McDuck back and forth across the city, and didn't even get a _hint_ of where to find the Lost Lotus!"

"But you didn't fight him, so my assistance was unneeded," Zura replied with a shrug.

"We could have split up and figured out where he was going!" John growled, stalking toward the bed, seriously considering slugging his companion _without_ formally declaring a bout first. 

"It wouldn't have helped," Zura replied absently, and something about that…

"Wait. You're acting like you _knew_ I wouldn't actually fight McDuck today."

"I did," Zura said, flipping another page in his book.

"Can you see the _future_?" John demanded.

"To a limited degree," Zura replied, tapping the mask, and John felt his temper strain as he growled.

"It would have made things easier if you had mentioned that?"

"Neither of us has the time to explore the complete list of my capabilities," Zura muttered. "Suffice to say, I apply such resources to the degree I deem most useful."

"How is letting me run around the city in vain 'useful'?"

"For one," Zura said, "it gave me time to read. For another, it gave McDuck the false impression that he is one step ahead of you. That sort of false assurance will serve us well."

"But he _is_ one step ahead of us!" John protested.

"He is not," Zura said. "First, he believes you are the only one pursuing him, while you have a partner whose capabilities exceed his own. Second, whatever resources he expends dealing with you are resources he will not later possess. And third…" He made a gesture with his free hand, and like a magician produced a pair of golden square-rimmed glasses with a delicate, curling frame. He tugged off the mask, slipped on the glasses, and smirked, a toothy, threatening expression. "Among the treasures in my possession is a way to allow me to know what _he_ knows. So _we_ don't have to find the journal, so long as we find him _afterward_."

* * *

Seeing Scrooge had been - happenstance. Goldie hadn't been following him, and she doubted he was in town for the same reason she was, as he was digging around in libraries instead of casing the Cape Suzette Public Museum.

She caught sight of _Rockerduck_ as well, which was irritating - meeting up with Scrooge more often than not seemed to involve Rockerduck scrambling for the same treasure. He'd ruined more than a few otherwise delightful encounters.

Scrooge was staying at a hotel with a panther - cute, if a little straight-laced - a valet, perhaps, or a new pilot.

She was scoping out the hotel (just to get an idea what Scrooge was looking for - antiquities might be worth a lot, but Scrooge was drawn to _real_ treasures) when the pilot left just before sunset, leaving her with a choice:

Keep watching Scrooge, or tail the pilot.

It wasn't even really a choice. Scrooge was hip-deep in books and therefore unlikely to run off to lead her to his treasure, while the pilot looked like he might be more easily led than Scrooge McDuck.

When he met up with a tiger in front of Khan Industries, who Goldie would bet a small fortune on being Shere Khan himself, she smirked to herself. She couldn't tell if the panther was trying to get information out of Khan, or if they were, inexplicably, friends, but the more billionaires in the mix, the more likely Goldie would get out of this with _something_ valuable.


	4. Chapter 4

When Shere Khan's plane touched down at the dock of Louie's island, he stilled next to Bagheera.

"I am beginning to rethink this outing," he said. 

Bagheera tilted his head to follow Shere Khan's gaze, seeing nothing but a battered yellow plane. When he looked back at Shere Khan, the tiger was glaring. Bagheera skipped over a momentary panic to conclude the plane was the object of Shere Khan's ire.

"What's wrong?"

"That," Shere Khan grumbled, "is the Sea Duck. Owned by Rebecca Cunningham, and _piloted_ by-"

"Baloo von Bruinwald XIII," Bagheera concluded, smirking when Shere Khan looked in his direction. "We caught up a bit before I dropped in on you."

"You didn't...invite him, did you?"

Bagheera shrugged. "I called Louie - it didn't seem like a good idea dragging you into the place without warning. He might have invited Baloo. Or it could be a coincidence?"

"I couldn't say for certain," Shere Khan murmured. "Louie _has_ matured, but he is still something of a - troublemaker."

Shere Khan was frowning, leaving Bagheera feeling tight. They'd been having a good time together; he didn't want his call to Louie to ruin everything. But it had been years - he didn't know Shere Khan well enough to know how to reassure him.

...Although, there was _one_ way to reliably get Shere Khan to do something.

"You aren't," Bagheera said, " _scared_ of Baloo, are you?"

Shere Khan's eyes narrowed. "No, I am not _scared_ of him. But we have - boundaries, and spending an evening drinking at a bar threatens our delicate balance."

"I think your reputation can survive one evening out drinking with the boys," Bagheera retorted, grinning at Shere Khan's half-hearted scowl. Come on - neither of them have been spreading stories about everything you got up to as a cub-"

"Most of that was _their_ fault," Shere Khan grumbled. "But your point is well-taken. Come on."

Shere Khan was out on the dock first, pausing to wait for Bagheera to disembark. He'd traded in his suit for a dark blue suit jacket over a starched white dress shirt, and a well-fitting pair of even darker slacks. It was a good look for him - not as threatening as the suit, but eye-catching nevertheless. And indeed, as they stepped into the crowded bar labeled Louie's, gazes drifted in their direction, lingering on Shere Khan. 

It wasn't...unwarranted attention. Shere Khan was striking by his coloration alone. But he kept himself well-groomed, fur gleaming, and strode through the main bar like he owned the place, drawing the eye to follow him.

(And _someone_ , possibly Shere Khan, had selected casual clothes that - almost clung, highlighting muscle usually camouflaged by his suit.)

And then someone slapped Bagheera on the back, sending him stumbling a step forward.

"Baggy! I wasn't sure Louie wasn't playing with me saying you talked old Khanny out of that stuffy old office of his, but here he is - in the fur. Put 'er there, buddy." 

Shere Khan eyed Baloo's outstretched hand before sighing, rolling his shoulders, and shaking. Baloo wasn't reckless enough to risk a hug, but was grinning when he let go. He slung his arm around Bagheera's shoulders and turned to a small table, guiding them toward it. Shere Khan trailed them, glowering enough Bagheera could imagine the heat of the glare on the back of his neck. It felt almost like old times, except Shere Khan had confirmed what Bagheera had always hoped, so the glare felt less like an expression of displeasure with Bagheera and more like - generalized annoyance with the atmosphere. His expression was more neutral as he sat, however, not even darkening when his gaze passed over Baloo.

"So," Shere Khan said. "How is...business?"

"Ha!" Baloo retorted. "Is that all you know how to talk about, Khanny? Come on, I'll get us drinks and we can catch up about _real_ stuff."

Shere Khan watched Baloo wind his way back through the crowds, muzzle wrinkled, not frowning but...confused (almost lost, Bagheera thought and immediately tried to un-think).

"I can try to get him to lay off," Bagheera offered.

"Don't bother," Share Khan said with a wave of his paw. "Baloo is - uncontrollable. I should know - I've tried."

Bagheera nodded, imagining Shere Khan's ambition running up against carefree Baloo - it had never worked when they were younger, and barring drastic measures, doubted it would now. 

"Did you ever try to hire him?"

"Baloo is a wildcard - unpredictable at _best_ , and a force of chaos at worst," Shere Khan drawled. "He is occasionally useful, but not someone I need in my employ."

"Hm, he'd probably get along with Mr. McDuck."

"And how did _you_ end up with him?" Shere Khan asked, sudden, piercing gaze on Bagheera. "His life moves at a pace I wouldn't have thought you would enjoy."

Bagheera shrugged. "All the piloting jobs I could find after the army involved - shooting, more often than not. Mr. McDuck prefers things don't come to that." He braced himself for the follow-up question, why he didn't find a job doing something other than flying, when he was smarter than you _had_ to be to fly, was well-read and hungry for knowledge. He could have been a _teacher_.

"Sometimes, I am almost convinced McDuck and I could be friends," Shere Khan mused. "Before recalling how insufferable he is."

"You aren't talking about me, Khanny, are you?" Baloo settled a tall glass full of still-fizzing beer in front of Shere Khan, another in front of Bagheera, and settled into one of the empty seats with a small glass full of amber liquid resting on his stomach.

"No," Shere Khan said, flat, eyeing the glass of beer like it was an intriguing puzzle. "Scrooge McDuck."

"You're not mad Scrooge snapped up Bagheera before _you_ could get your paws on him, are you?" Baloo asked, sipping at his drink. "Because I can assure you, Baggy'd be bored to tears by the stuff you've got your pilots doing."

Shere Khan jerked up in his seat, his face set in the deceptively calm expression he wore when he was weighing the risks of threatening to rip someone's eye out. It was an odd reaction, Bagheera thought - Shere Khan hadn't called or written in years, much less said anything that would have suggested he wanted Bagheera to work for him.

"I am not _upset_ ," Shere Khan retorted at last, still glaring at Baloo in an echo of the expression of wounded pride Shere Khan had affected when they were cubs and someone hit a nerve. "Flying with Scrooge McDuck, however, is dangerous - knowing _Bagheera's_ the one stuck in the middle of McDuck's adventures, worrying is...natural."

"Alright, alright," Baloo said, downing the rest of his glass as he waved at Shere Khan. "No need to bite my head off. Just thought Baggy would fit in around here. He's a pretty steady pilot, you know - we called him Book because he always flew by the book...that and he spent all his free time reading."

Shere Khan stared at Baloo for a few moments more with a narrow, suspicious gaze, before huffing and drinking half his beer in a single draught. "So," Shere Khan said, chest rumbling with carefully-checked annoyance, "how's the package delivery business?"

"Haven't been driven out of business yet!" Baloo said cheerfully, lifting his empty glass over his head.

"Only because your occasional heroics justify the cost of allowing a… _technical_ competitor to exist in my backyard," Shere Khan muttered, sipping at his beer as his ears fell flat, clearly irritated.

"Aw, we'd do alright anyway," Baloo retorted, leaning back to rest his feet on the table; Shere Khan's right eye twitched.

"Are you trying to annoy me?" Shere Khan asked.

And Baloo winked at him. "Nah - I must just be a natural."

Shere Khan let out a barking huff, a snort, and then a deep chuckle - rough, as if unpracticed, but good-natured, carrying no threatening undertones.

"Every time I spend more than a few moments in your presence, I'm reminded how lucky you are that when we were cubs, there was always someone sensible around to keep me from murdering you," Shere Khan muttered. There wasn't any heat in the comment, but Shere Khan did take a longer draught of his beer.

"Come on - Khanny, you gotta at least like me a little," Baloo wheedled, eyebrows waggling.

"I don't have to do _anything_ ," Shere Khan retorted.

"Really?" Baloo asked, suddenly turning to Bagheera. Bagheera shrank back from the intent gaze, tugging his glass between him and his friend. "I bet he told you he liked _you_."

"That's hardly a surprise - Bagheera was the most sensible out of all of you," Shere Khan snapped, the edge back in his voice. "If I put up with the rest of you, it was because Bagheera would have been put out if I chased you off."

"Oh really?" An ape dropped down from the rafters next to the table, neatly catching several glasses that fell after him. He set another pint next to Shere Khan, replaced Baloo's empty glass, and put down a large glass full of water in front of Bagheera, winking before he turned to Shere Khan. "That might be the sweetest thing I've heard about you, Khanny, and that's including the fact you used to visit your grandmother every week."

"Hello, Louie," Shere Khan grumbled, finishing off his first beer and shoving the empty glass toward the ape. "There has some speculation as to whether you're the one who invited Mr. Von Bruinwald XIII here."

"Hm, I can see why you'd speculate that," Louie mused, rubbing his chin. "This is the most of us that have been in the same metropolitan area in _years_ , and I've still got that dream of putting together a band."

" _Did_ you?" Shere Khan asked through gritted teeth. "Ask Baloo to come along?"

"Of course!" Louie replied. "With three of us here, it's like a reunion, so I thought, the more the merrier!"

Shere Khan didn't growl, just rolled his eyes and settled back in his seat. "Well, if we're holding a _reunion_ , see if you can't pull yourself away from work before I finally decide to rid myself of this annoyance once and for all."

Louie laughed - full-hearted - unafraid, as all of them had been, deep down, of Shere Khan. He slapped Shere Khan's shoulder before turning away. "Alright, big guy. I'll put away these glasses and be right back." Humming, he retreated back to the bar, while Shere Khan stared after him - focused but not angry.

"Is everything okay?" Bagheera asked.

"Whatever he was humming sounds...familiar," Shere Khan said, gaze on the bar, where Louie was cleaning the glasses. "Do you recognize it?"

Bagheera shrugged; he honestly hadn't been paying attention. "I don't spend a lot of time listening to music."

"Really?" Shere Khan squinted at Bagheera. "I remember _several_ impromptu sing-alongs when we were cubs that you were _very_ enthusiastic about."

Baloo coughed loudly, grinning when Shere Khan shot him a dark look. 

"It's probably a popular song you've heard around," Bagheera added. 

"Absolutely," Baloo agreed. He waved suddenly, and a moment later, Louie sprawled into the remaining seat, raising a glass full of pink slush.

"Evening, animals!" he said. "Let's raise a toast to our long-lost Bagheera and Shere Khan, who we don't see nearly enough."

"I don't see you because we both work eighteen-hour days running our businesses," Shere Khan muttered as he clinked his glass against Louie's. "Also…" He took a long draught of his beer. "Well. The unpleasantness."

Louie burst out laughing, slapping Shere Khan's back as he did. Shere Khan jerked upward at first before settling, still stiff as he watched Louie laugh.

"Oh my gosh," Louie said after close to a minute, wiping at his eyes. "You thought I was still upset about _that_? I know you didn't have anything with that cat trying to take over the place. Ha, _you_ know I'm what makes this place such a success - if you wanted to take over the place, you'd find a way to keep me on as manager." His grin widened as he leaned in closer. "And it'd be the last mistake you ever made, Khanny." He fell back in his seat, still laughing. "Aw, _man_ , I can't believe that's been bothering you!" He poked Shere Khan's arm gently. "You could have just _asked_ , Khanny."

"I…" Shere Khan shifted in place, tugging his arm away from Louie. "I don't have much social reason to come here - leaving you alone seemed easiest."

"Easier than asking a friend if everything's okay?" Louie asked.

Shere Khan sighed, drumming his fingers against the table. 

"Khaannny?" Louie pressed.

"Yes, I admit a cursory debriefing might have - clarified the situation," Shere Khan murmured.

"Might have gotten you a free drink, too," Louie replied with a wink.

Shere Khan rolled his eyes. "I don't need free drinks."

"You need someone willing to offer," Louie retorted, leaning his seat back to point a finger at Bagheera. "Baggy here knows what I'm talking about."

"What?" Bagheera glanced at Shere Khan, who looked approximately as confused as Bagheera felt. He took a drink to avoid having to find an answer, while Baloo chuckled. 

"You should've known better than to go to ol' Book about this, Louie. Smart as a whip, more common sense than the three of us put together-"

" _Excuse me_?" Shere Khan demanded.

"But he's not much smarter about dealing with animals than Khanny is-"

"Excuse me - I am a _successful negotiator_ and **master manipulator** ," Shere Khan protested.

"But you have three friends, two of which you pretend not to know and the third of which you haven't seen in more than a decade," Louie said. "And _please_ don't say you don't need friends - we knew it was a crock when we were _ten_ , so we're not going to believe it _now_."

Shere Khan, having shifted from confused to irritated, squinted at Louie carefully. "You think I need more friends," he said.

"If you wanna get all technical about it, sure," Louie agreed.

"Despite the fact that, according to your assessment, I do a poor job at being a friend to the ones I _have_."

"Come on - you're just twisting my words around," Louie protested, waving his hands. "You're just - unpracticed, is all!"

"Yeah, how about you and Baggy go get us some more drinks," Baloo said, before Louie could continue, nudging Louie out of his chair. "Take a minute away from our _good friend Shere Khan_ who we are _not trying to upset_ , hm?"

Louie rolled his eyes but hopped to his feet, waving at Bagheera to follow him. "Sure, come on."

Louie led the way back to the bar, where he turned on a blender for a second one of whatever thing he'd been drinking, and produced glasses for everyone else's drinks.

"He isn't upset, really," Bagheera said. "In case you were worrying."

Louie raised one eyebrow. "Back for two days and you already know how to read him?"

"I-" Bagheera felt his ears heat, and ducked his head even if there was no chance of Louie noticing the blush. "I mostly had Shere Khan figured out before we went our separate ways, and he hasn't changed _that_ much."

"Hm," Louie said, considering. "Can't say I see that, but you heard - we don't spend a lot of time together."

"He might if you didn't - needle him so much," Bagheera pointed out.

"Yeah, we always figured he liked you best because you didn't go out of your way to bother him," Louie said. "Er." His stance froze. "I mean, not that you aren't an _excellent_ friend he should count himself lucky to have."

Bagheera snickered. "It's not just him, is it - you still stick your foot in your mouth all the time, huh?"

"Hmph!" Louie retorted, pulling himself up to his full height, before glancing at the empty glasses. "I gotta get a new keg from the cellar - you wait here!"

As he pulled up a door to the cellar, he began humming to himself, breaking into words halfway through as he dropped downstairs.

"...there's a certain sort of something worth talking about…"

It sounded familiar, leading Bagheera to wonder if it was the same song Shere Khan had heard Louie humming.

And what, for that matter, was so familiar about it.

"You look a little down for a man as good-looking as you are."

Bagheera turned his head, and where there had been empty bar next to him was a blond female duck dressed in a form-fitting wine-red dress. She winked at Bagheera when she saw him looking.

"Well?" she asked. "What's got you in such a funk?"

"I'm not in a…" Bagheera waved one hand vaguely, " _funk_. My friends are just - you know."

"I don't actually," the woman replied as she swiped the glass meant for Baloo, sipping at it delicately. "I don't have the knack for making friends." When Bagheera, almost ready to ask, snapped his jaw shut, she smirked. "Oh, and you're a curious little cat, aren't you? It's alright - you can ask. Or I can just tell you: I'm not good at - sticking around. Wanderlust, they call it. What about you? Do you live here?"

"No. I'm here on business."

"And catching up with old friends, I see," the duck said. "Including the CEO of Khan Industries."

Bagheera snorted; he'd run into people like this woman before, who thought they could use Bagheera's connection to a powerful person for their own benefit. It hadn't done them any good for Mr. McDuck, and it was _less_ likely to work for Shere Khan.

"Talking to me isn't going to get you anywhere with Shere Khan," Bagheera replied.

"I'd be barking up the wrong tree, trying to use my _own_ charm to win him over," the duck said, reaching across the bar to yank a bottle of whiskey toward her, pouring another glass. "You sure you won't help out? I have it on good authority you're his type."

"I'm not going to help - wait. His _type_? Type of what?"

The duck laughed. "His _type_ , kitten. I've always wondered why his pilots are, to a man, panthers, but it's clear he's surrounding himself with the next best thing to having _you_ around." She grinned wide. "Scroogie must have seen the same thing, hm?"

"Scroo - _oh lord_ , you're Goldie O'Gilt."

The duck blinked at Bagheera, silent, before shaking her head. "How did you know?"

"For one, I've researched every one of Mr. McDuck's allies, rivals, enemies, and - you," Bagheera said. "For another, we actually met once. You had red hair, then. And I won't let you steal the-" He bit back his words, even as Goldie's smirk returned.

"You're a loyal lapdog, aren't you, kitten?" Goldie snickered. "Which is ideal if you're going to be, ah, pumping Shere Khan for information."

"...Information?"

Goldie clicked her tongue. "Whatever you're looking for, I'm certain Shere Khan's the key. Otherwise why would Scroogie send you off to go drinking with him?" 

Bagheera opened his mouth, halfway before forming a response, before closing it, finding no easy protest to Goldie's implications.

Goldie patted his cheek before standing. "Oh, don't look like that, kitten. Scroogie's good at seeing the angles of things. But he's bad at thinking about other animals - probably figured your friend couldn't be _seriously_ upset by you using him to get - whatever it is Scrooge needs."

The door flipped open as Louie shoved a keg out of the cellar.

"Look, I don't-" Bagheera paused when he realized Goldie was nowhere to be found. Instead, Louie set two full glasses of beer next to Bagheera and leaned over the bar.

"What's up, animal?"

"I…" Bagheera shook his head. He didn't want to talk about Goldie's suggestion, but he needed _something_ , so said the first thing that came to mind. "Does Shere Khan only hire panther pilots?"

"Ahhh, so you finally heard about it," Louie said, leaning over further as he grinned. "Freaky, right?"

"I…" Bagheera glanced across the room at where Baloo was chattering at Shere Khan, who didn't actually look like he was contemplating violence. "It's _true_? I thought that woman was trying to - unsettle me."

"If she saw you hanging out with Shere Khan, she probably was. But it's true, as far as anyone knows - I haven't seen any pilots working for him who aren't panthers, and neither has Baloo or his Becky, and they've had a lot more chance to see than me."

"But she was-" Bagheera leaned over the bar and hissed, "suggesting Shere Khan was doing it because he's _pining_ for me."

"Aww, is that's what's got you worked up?" Louie purred. "I can promise you, one hundred percent, that Shere Khan isn't creating some sort of - aerial harem to replace what he got from you."

Goldie's implication had felt scandalous, but it was nothing compared to Louie's declaration - which was to say, it had been the wrong moment for Bagheera to take a sip of his beer. Louie took a moment to mop up the spray before grinning at Bagheera. "That _was_ what you were worrying about, right?"

"Not - uh, _worried_ \- it actually doesn't sound healthy, fixating on someone you haven't talked to in years, despite having the resources to easily find them and _write a letter_ , but…" Bagheera tried to take a breath, found it short, and tried again, a deep inhale, letting it out after a moment. "Baloo had this whole thing about how we were - orbiting each other when we were younger. And - I'm pretty sure I wasn't...back then, but Shere Khan has changed a lot less than I would expect from back then, and - and…"

"Oh, hey, you need to calm down." Louie handed Bagheera a tiny glass whose contents burned his nose when he sniffed at it. "Because you are freaking out." Bagheera emptied the glass in one swig, slamming the glass back down on the bar. 

"I'm not freaking out," Bagheera muttered as he sank down to the level of the bar. "I just don't want to hear animals telling me about whatever feelings Shere Khan might have for me. Because if this _wild speculation_ is true-"

"Oh, come on, animal - I know people talk about that sort of thing, but it doesn't make Shere Khan a bad person if he _likes_ you. Just be honest, and-"

" _If this wild speculation is true_ ," Bagheera repeated, steady, "well, even then, I couldn't bring myself to do anything about it. How could I - ask about that?"

"Wait." Louie pulled back, eyes almost comically wide as he straightened. "You're - you-"

Bagheera raised one eyebrow. "What? You seemed happy enough talking about it when you thought _Shere Khan_ fancied _me_ -"

And then Bagheera remembered where he'd heard the song Louie had been singing. 

"Louie?" Bagheera asked, pitching his voice low, "do you remember, when we were cubs, and Hathi had a crush on that girl, and Shere Khan made up a whole song to make fun of him?"

Louie's smile vanished. "To be fair, he sort of spearheaded a _few_ impromptu performances-"

"Do you remember the lyrics?" Bagheera asked, smiling with _all_ his teeth when Louie's ears flicked. "Because I think I might. 'It's nearly clear, when you're snout to snout-'"

"Ah, we really don't need to get into that!" Louie protested.

"Your heart starts marching to a lovey-dove beat…"

"Okay fine, yes, I may _remember_ it, and maayyyybe have been singing it around him to - mess with his head a little," Louie blurted out, waving his hands in front of him. "Khanny's been alone - you know, friends and otherwise - for ages. And then you swooped into town and I thought-"

"That you could - what, subliminally get us to date each other?"

"Sublim - I wasn't trying to get you to date each other," Louie protested. "Whatever he thinks, he needs other animals, and I thought reminding him of all the stuff we got up to together, he might - try to keep that together." He was quiet for a moment, Bagheera shocked by the unusually sober assessment.

"And yes," Louie continued, "I _was_ trying to tease him a little. Because that panther thing is _not_ a coincidence, and it might kill me if I never learn the answer."

"Well," Bagheera replied as he picked up his and Shere Khan's drinks, "I doubt he's ever going to tell _you_."

"So, uh," Louie said as he hurried after Bagheera. "How long have you, uh…"

"I haven't been _pining_ ," Bagheera retorted. "I'd just have to be stupid to turn him down if he ever asked."

"Yeah, I can...see that," Louie replied, falling silent as they approached their table.

"Here," Bagheera said, handing Shere Khan his glass and tugging his own to himself as he sat. His concentration lapsed for a moment when Shere Khan gave him a thankful smile (and then cursed Louie for making him think about all this).

""So, what've _you_ animals been talking about?" Louie asked.

"Baloo was _unsuccessfully_ trying to convince me to embarrass myself in front of this entire bar," Shere Khan replied, briefly baring his teeth at Baloo.

"I was just suggesting you could get up and sing a bit," Baloo protested. "It wouldn't have to be anything embarrassing."

"Performing for your amusement _itself_ would be embarrassing," Shere Khan retorted.

"Singing badly might be embarrassing," Bagheera mused, "but I wouldn't expect you to sing badly - you had a nice voice when we were younger."

"Ah." Shere Khan licked his lips, a flick of his tongue, glancing sidelong at Bagheera. "Whether or not my _voice_ is pleasant to listen to, I am not a performer."

"If you say so," Baloo replied, winking at Bagheera. "You do a pretty good job of playing the part of the heartless businessman, but _we_ know you've got some squishy feelings in there." He poked Shere Khan's elbow, grinning. You haven't killed _me_ yet, and Baggy dragged you out _here_."

"You said a lot of words, but the only one I heard was _yet_ ," Shere Khan drawled.

Louie laughed. "You should take up comedy, Khanny!"

Baloo grabbed Louie's wrist and dragged him away from the table. "Never mind that, Louie - Shere Khan might be above a good song-and-dance number, but _we're_ not."

"Yeah, watch how a real performer does it!" Louie called back.

Their performance was - fine. They seemed to be having fun, and, eyeing Shere Khan, Bagheera suspected he wouldn't have been able to have fun doing the same, even if he _had_ stayed in practice enough to sing well.

(Bagheera was also pretty sure he caught Shere Khan tapping his finger in time with the music, but didn't draw attention to it; he still wasn't certain how far he could push.)

But once they were done, Shere Khan pushed away from the table. "As - interesting as this evening has been, I have to head home."

"Oh!" Bagheera stood as well. "Looks like I've got to go, too."

"No need. I'm certain Baloo can bring you back to your hotel."

"No, I - I've got to get back, too," Bagheera replied. "If you don't mind-"

"I can more easily afford the extra fuel to carry a passenger than Ms. Cunningham," Shere Khan replied, and Louie snickered.

"It wouldn't kill you to say you'd like the company, would it?"

"My _feelings_ have no bearing on whether I am capable of escorting Bagheera back to his hotel," Shere Khan said, even. 

"Loosen up, Khanny," Baloo said, patting Shere Khan's arm. "You gotta make a fella feel wanted if you want him to stick around."

Shere Khan batted his hand away. "Don't be ridiculous. You are free to join me if you wish, Bagheera."

"Yeah, uh. Thanks for the drinks, Louie. I'll be in touch, Baloo."

Bagheera paused when they reached the plane, where Shere Khan's pilot was reading; the man _was_ a panther, but didn't look much like Bagheera, which Bagheera had half-expected when Goldie had told him about Shere Khan's pilots.

But that reminded Bagheera of what _else_ Goldie had said, the suggestion that Mr. McDuck had sent Bagheera to hunt down whatever Shere Khan knew about the Lost Lotus. The thought still made him feel a little sick, so Bagheera waited a few moments after they took off to speak up.

"Someone at Louie's recognized me and suggested...Mr. McDuck wanted me to pump you for information about his expedition."

"A waste of time," Shere Khan scoffed, leaving an odd tension in Bagheera's stomach.

"A waste-"

"McDuck couldn't possibly believe you'd betray your friend," Shere Khan replied. "Pretend to like me in order to get information out of me? Preposterous."

"I might have still been upset with you," Bagheera said, the reply sharper than he might have intended, the way Shere Khan shot him a wide-eyed stare. Bagheera could almost read the question in Shere Khan's gaze, as clearly as if he'd asked, and, perhaps knowing Shere Khan would never _actually_ ask, replied, "for never writing back."

"I." Shere Khan looked away from Bagheera, gaze falling to the floor. "You hadn't mentioned it, so I presumed the matter was dropped."

"It was never picked up," Bagheera replied. "I...wanted to see you again, and starting out yelling at you about old history didn't seem the right way to do it." He shrugged. "Besides, I knew how you were-"

"You didn't. Don't." Shere Khan still wasn't looking at Bagheera, and his voice was strained. "You scared me, Bagheera. The others - I was never tempted by the lives they wanted. You, though - it was like looking at a - dark mirror. I didn't know where you were going, but I was afraid...seeing it would tempt me to abandon the path set for me. It seemed easier...not to engage."

Bagheera sighed, because he couldn't, for example, insist that he wouldn't have done that if Shere Khan had asked, because - how could he promise not to live a life that was attractive to Shere Khan?

"I read them, though," Shere Khan said. "Even knowing…" He shook his head. "I read them."

"And now?" Bagheera asked. "Do I still...scare you?"

"I have no desire to live Scrooge McDuck's life," Shere Khan replied with a shrug. He was staring straight ahead, claws tapping against an armrest that looked like it had been the target of a lot of Shere Khan's stress. "In fact, if I _do_ possess something that will help locate whatever trinket he's looking for, it would be to my benefit to help him find it." His gaze darted to Bagheera before it returned to the front of the plane. "As much as I've...enjoyed seeing you, your employer is one of the most dangerous animals in the world, and I want nothing more than to get him out of town as soon as possible."

"I've enjoyed seeing you, too, Shere Khan."

"So," Shere Khan said, turning his serious, intent gaze on Bagheera, "what brought Scrooge McDuck to Cape Suzette?"

Bagheera realized only later that Shere Khan had never answered his question.

* * *

If Shere Khan were anything like Scrooge McDuck, Goldie would never have gotten where she was now, hanging from a harness just outside Shere Khan's office. Scrooge was engaged in a battle of wits and perseverance against half a dozen fellow treasure-hunters, millionaires, and sorcerers, meaning his home and money bin were protected by all the best a paranoid businessman could afford. Moreso, Scrooge had a sixth sense for intruders. 

It was almost disappointing, how easily Goldie had gotten up here.

If Shere Khan decided to enter the world of high-stakes treasure hunting, he wouldn't last a _week_.

He didn't even look out the windows when he got back to the office, Scrooge's pilot trailing behind him, just went straight to his library above the elevator, where the two of them spent an hour sorting through dusty old books before settling on one. Goldie didn't pick up much, given the distance, but saw the phrase 'lost lotus' on their lips several times.

It didn't mean anything to her, except that it sounded like a small, portable relic, and therefore easy to pawn after she stole it out from under Scrooge's beak.

Eventually, the panther stood, spending ten minutes scribbling on a loose piece of paper, before stepping into Shere Khan's space, pausing, and holding out a hand to shake.

Goldie smirked from her vantage point; she'd been trying to keep the panther off-balance, but it looked like she'd hit on something. She doubted Shere Khan would end up along the eventual sojourn, but it was good to know how she could needle him if he showed up.

...That, and the fact that he left the book in plain sight (back on the shelves of his library, but not locked up or _anything_ ), where anyone could come in and steal it as long as they were capable of climbing several hundred feet, picking the lock on the exterior windows, avoiding the cameras pointed at Shere Khan's library, and finding the access to the stairs. It was so easy she felt a little bad about stealing the notebook.

...She still _took_ it, of course; priceless artifacts didn't just fall into her lap.

* * *

"Ah," Zura murmured, removing his bird-faced mask and rising to walk to the edge of his bed and drop down to the floor. He crossed the room and grabbed John's shoulder.

The duck yelped and scrambled, until at last his wide gaze landed on Zura, and he scowled.

"What is it?" John demanded.

"There's another player in this game," Zura replied, "and she has what we seek in her possession." He smiled toothily at his partner. "And I suspect she is a much less capable fighter than Scrooge McDuck."


	5. Chapter 5

"Mr. McDuck?" Scrooge looked up from the telegram from the home office summarizing the day's business. Bagheera was hovering at the door, hands twisting, gaze at his feet. He didn't look quite as cheerful as Scrooge would have expected after an evening with his friends. Scrooge felt a spark of unease; he'd encouraged Bagheera to reconnect with his friends, making any fallout from the attempt Scrooge's fault.

"Anything wrong, lad?" Scrooge asked.

Bagheera took a breath, squaring off his shoulders, and Scrooge's stomach plunged, a premonition of how terribly everything was about to go.

"Did you suggest I talk to Shere Khan because you knew he collects memorabilia from the Golden Age of Exploration?" Bagheera asked.

"What?"

"He buys up maps and sextants and - journals practically whenever they show up for auction," Bagheera replied. "They make up around a quarter of his personal library."

"And you…" Bagheera's tension made more sense, now. Shere Khan was suspicious in business, and was probably no less so in his personal life. If Bagheera had mentioned the Lost Lotus, or the journal of Wren Cabrillo's crew members, it wouldn't take a genius to suspect Scrooge had sent Bagheera to sound out the extent of Shere Khan's library.

"I - didn't know, lad. Look, I don't know how much he'd trust me on the subject, but I could apologize, explain I didn't mean to spy on him-"

"Shere Khan doesn't think I was spying on him for you," Bagheera replied. "I just wanted to - make sure. Your - _Goldie_ cornered me in Louie's and was-"

"Oh lord, she didn't try to seduce you, did she?"

"No, she-" Bagheera cut himself off, shaking his head, leaving Goldie's exact line of attack to Scrooge's imagination. He wasn't _quite_ arrogant enough to believe Goldie wouldn't use her charms on anyone other than him, but if she'd been talking about Shere Khan, Scrooge doubted she'd have made a diversion to flirt.

"Well, in any case, if Goldie's here, it's only a matter of time before she tries to get the drop on us for the Lost Lotus of Lemuria," Scrooge grumbled.

"Well, I have some good news," Bagheera said, reaching into his pocket to produce a small packet of folded paper he held out to Scrooge. "Six years ago, Shere Khan bought the journal of Callum Bright, Boatswain to _La Victoria_ at auction, and - admittedly to get you out of town sooner - he let me copy the relevant pages."

"Ach - well done, lad!" Scrooge grabbed the paper and flipped through it, finding dense, neat writing and a series of drawings. "It - didn't make any trouble for you, did it?"

"Like I said - he was happy to do anything to get you out of here," Bagheera said, sitting heavily at the end of his bed. He hadn't moved by the time Scrooge looked up from Bagheera's notes. Scrooge sighed as he watched Bagheera stare at the far wall for - longer than seemed necessary. He'd probably pried too much into Bagheera's life already, but. They were going into the wilds soon, chasing after an artifact whose power was exceeded only by its mystery. They both needed to be in top form, and the presence of Goldie wasn't going to help _at all_.

"Everything's...alright, with you, right?" Scrooge asked. "You've been catching up with old friends, and - Shere Khan lent you the journal."

"Ah." Bagheera's nose twitched as his hands settled in his lap. "I appreciate you giving me time to myself. Baloo, and Louie, and...Shere Khan. It was good to see them."

"All of them?" Scrooge asked. "Good; I'm glad you got things settled. We're going to have enough trouble dealing with Goldie, without any complications from your end."

"No, uh...complications," Bagheera replied. "Shere Khan and I are friends - according to him, we never really stopped."

There was probably more there, but none of it was Scrooge's business, so he let it go, just made it clear they were leaving at 9 the next morning, and headed to bed.

* * *

Bagheera paused on entering the breakfast area, because Shere Khan was sitting at one of the tables, several covered plates next to him, a silver coffee pot steaming in front of him, and a newspaper in his hands. A quick scan of the room revealed no one likely here to meet Shere Khan, so Bagheera approached the table. 

"Good morning, Shere Khan."

"Bagheera," Shere Khan waved at the chair opposite him. "Sit...if you want." 

Bagheera checked the room again, finding only people engrossed in their own breakfasts. "Are you waiting for somebody?"

"Yes. You. So _sit_...please." Bagheera was certain Shere Khan wasn't unused to the word (it had to come in handy), but Shere Khan's voice sounded strained.

"Is everything okay?" Bagheera asked as he sat. Shere Khan's nose scrunched up briefly before he snapped his fingers above his head. A hotel employee hurried over to set a plate in front of Bagheera. Shere Khan raised one eyebrow, lips quirking into a smile.

"Go on - I recall you mentioning the breakfast here was unsatisfactory."

Bagheera lifted the cover from one of the dishes, finding fluffy scrambled eggs, and then the other to find a mildly-spiced sausage. There _was_ a plate in front of Shere Khan, but there were remnants of a fruit salad and a pastry on it.

"Did...you come over here to treat me to breakfast?" Bagheera asked, a tentative warmth building in his chest; even when they'd been getting along the best, Shere Khan had never been the one to make an effort. If he could use it to make him look good, sure, he'd sweep in to save the day. But doing something unprompted for someone else's benefit - never.

"I was going to be giving you bad news," Shere Khan replied, "so I thought you could use something to cheer you up." He frowned, gaze darting to the coffee pot. "It would have been a better gesture if I had come here without the bad news."

"No, you-" Bagheera felt a smile pulling at his mouth to match the warmth in his chest. "Thanks. The first day we were here, Baloo had to find me a diner that would serve me hot food."

"I hope you realize how disheartening it is to learn my gesture comes second to one performed by _Baloo_ ," Shere Khan replied. He wasn't quite scowling, but there was almost a frown, there - an echo of insecurity, something that could push him to lash out in an attempt to prove himself.

Bagheera shrugged. "I ran into him - he didn't come out here to meet me."

Shere Khan sniffed. "Your reassurance is appreciated but not necessary." After a moment, he added, "I wasn't certain when you would be leaving to find McDuck's treasure; I'm glad I had a chance to see you beforehand."

"It's not like...we won't see each other again afterward," Bagheera tried, before taking in a breath, holding it, aware that for all the good conversations, for the almost-apology, and even for the surprise breakfast, it meant nothing if Bagheera went another ten years without hearing from Shere Khan.

"Given the things I've heard McDuck gets up to...I might not," Shere Khan murmured into his cup of coffee; a somber reminder of something Bagheera hadn't thought of much recently. His job was dangerous - at times moreso than the military life, which was straightforward and rarely involved, say, evading the Leviathan while fleeing with some ancient treasures. And when Shere Khan set down his cup with a clatter, Bagheera realized the tiger's hand was shaking. He wondered, briefly, if that was why Shere Khan, hiring every panther pilot he could get his hands on, had never called up Bagheera.

"I'll be fine, Shere Khan," Bagheera said, offering the tiger a steady smile, to little effect, as Shere Khan scowled.

"McDuck is the luckiest duck in the world; there's no guarantee you'll benefit from it." There was a hint of a snarl in Shere Khan's voice, and Bagheera knew it. It was bravado - a show of strength to conceal his fear. And because Shere Khan wasn't heading into an unknown, possibly dangerous ruin, the object of his fear could only be-

"You're not worried about me, are you?"

"I don't have many friends, Bagheera," Shere Khan replied. "And of those I do, you are easily the most tolerable." He tapped the edge of his cup, his scowl deepening. "I hear stories about McDuck, and...now that we've started speaking again, I would prefer you not become a casualty of his adventuring."

"Aww, be careful," Bagheera replied, "or I might get the idea you care."

"I - do," Shere Khan said, and he wasn't looking away anymore, was gazing steadily at Bagheera. He didn't look angry or - uncertain, but his body was tense, and his gaze didn't waver. "I had the foolish notion when I was younger that caring about other animals showed weakness. And it may - be a point of weakness, but I feel I am better for having known you. However brief our reunion, I would prefer our - association continue. So I...worry when you are at risk."

Bagheera smiled despite the somber tone of Shere Khan's declaration. He might have once thought Shere Khan couldn't bring himself to express a sincere emotion, but this had been clear, if halting, unpracticed. Shere Khan cared - had possibly always cared - even if-

"I asked you if I still frightened you," Bagheera said, causing Shere Khan to jerk up, perhaps not expecting a response. "I never got an answer. Except. I think I know, now."

Shere Khan settled into a more controlled pose, raising one eyebrow. "If anyone else claimed to know what I was thinking, I would most stringently disabuse them of that misapprehension." He smirked. "But let's hear your theory."

"I did," Bagheera declared. "I still do. You said caring about other animals is a weakness, and if there's one thing that frightens you, it's being weak. So if you care about me-"

"I've said as much."

Bagheera smiled a little wider. "You must have decided it's a fear worth facing."

"Close enough," Shere Khan replied.

"Well, I don't have any intention of dying on you," Bagheera said. "And it might go without saying, the way I acted when we were cubs, but I care about you, too. I worry less about your _physical_ safety, I guess - except for all this kidnapping. But...I worry about how you - feel. Working all alone up here."

"Is that why you came to see me?" Shere Khan asked.

"Baloo said - well, he didn't _say_ anything, but I got the idea...you were lonely. And I - don't like the idea of you being lonely."

Shere Khan's muzzle twitched, pulled up into a smile, and it was - another smile that Bagheera hadn't seen often, if ever. It was gentle, with his gaze on Bagheera, almost affectionate. "So you swooped in to save me from myself."

Bagheera...didn't know how to respond to that. Shere Khan had never spoken like that except to tell Bagheera or the others to stay out of his business. But that expression - absent any of that reflexive anger - was so _warm_. And thinking about how young Shere Khan would act, the bristling anger that could be legitimate, or just a way to conceal his weakness, Bagheera wondered if this smile had lurked behind Shere Khan's snarl whenever another creature had expressed concern for his well being.

"I wanted to see you...for myself, as well."

And for perhaps the first time in his life, Bagheera saw all the tension, all the pretense leech out of Shere Khan as he smiled down at his coffee. "I don't think...anyone has admitted to wanting to see me just for their own feelings, before," he said. 

"Well, you don't make admitting it easy," Bagheera retorted.

Shere Khan nodded. "I...would like to see you again, when you and McDuck get back. Between our schedules, we might not see each other again for a while, no matter how regular our correspondence."

"Alright - it's a date," Bagheera agreed.

Shere Khan gave a shaky nod.

"So, uh," Bagheera continued, "what was...the bad news?"

Shere Khan pulled up, smile vanishing as his fingers drummed on the table. "Someone stole the journal from my library last night."

Bagheera's first thought went to John D. Rockerduck, before it settled on Goldie - the conwoman, more used to sneaking around than pushing people around. "So we don't have a lead anymore."

Mr. McDuck took a heavy step into the breakfast area before dropping his pack (and Bagheera's as well) next to the door. "Hello, lads," he said, before squinting at Shere Khan. "What's going on?" he asked of Shere Khan.

"Goldie stole the journal from under Shere Khan's nose," Bagheera explained.

Mr. McDuck's eyes narrowed. "Ah. I'd expect nothing less from her. In that case, we'll take breakfast on the go. Thanks for the heads-up, Khan." As he handed over the pack to Bagheera, Mr. McDuck added, "I'll bring him back safe to you."

Bagheera waited until they'd reached the edge of town before speaking up.

"You were, fairly optimistic to Shere Khan, back there," he said.

Mr. McDuck clicked his tongue. "I'm not used to working with people - who have someone to come back to. It seemed the thing to say."

"Someone…? Shere Khan is-"

"Someone who cares about you a great deal," Mr. McDuck said, tapping his beak. "I think you know that. Family...friends, they're worth - a great deal. I wouldn't wish to deprive anyone of something so valuable."

"Speaking of value - I don't think I really understood what the Lost Lotus of Lemuria is."

"That's - a bit of a mystery," Mr. McDuck replied. "See. Lemuria's - one of those lost continents. Not one of those fantastically advanced utopias, but - it was theorized to be a...landbridge. How animals got from one continent to another, once upon a time. But there was said to be a - school or a library, or a museum, built on Lemuria. The headmaster or archivist was a...traveler. A collector. And the things they possessed were - powerful. I've found some of the items said to be a part of this collection - a bloodthirsty blade used to contain a demon, a tome that could awaken entire graveyards full of corpses, a magic orb that could heal its holder at the cost of the vitality of the land around it. But the Lost Lotus was said to be, in some small way, the source of the collector's power - a source of power or knowledge that could grant its owner unmatched power."

Bagheera wrinkled his nose. "Magic?"

"What, you don't believe in magic, laddie?"

"Shere Khan always said magic brought nothing but trouble," Bagheera retorted.

Mr. McDuck opened his mouth, paused, and closed it again. "A smart man, your Shere Khan. I've never found a magical artifact that didn't backfire on its user, somehow."

"I found a book, once, in the library. It could give you - visions, if you bled on it. Shere Khan had to take it away from me and - get rid of it to keep me from bleeding myself to death using it."

"Good boy," Mr. McDuck muttered to himself as he pushed through a screen of low-hanging branches.

"So...if magic's dangerous, why are you chasing after it?"

"Why do you think, laddie? I've an impregnable vault that's withstood countless attempts to rob it. If there's anyone capable of keeping it out of other people's hands, it's me."

"If it was anyone else in the world saying that, Mr. McDuck, I'd think they were full of shit," Bagheera said, "that they were hoarding the artifacts to make themselves rich and powerful. But you - think using magic is _cheating_ , don't you?"

"Ha!" Mr. McDuck grinned back at Bagheera. "Right on the money, there."

The notes suggested the Lost Lotus had last been in a shrine in the hills northwest of Cape Suzette - a few hours' walk without taking the terrain into account. Mr. McDuck consulted his notes at regular intervals, guiding them along a winding path around the hills until just past noon, when he pointed to the east, where a hill seemed to have half-collapsed on itself, the remnants spiked like a crown.

"There - Callum's journal said they found the shrine 'girt by a crown of stone'. Now would be a good time to arm yourself, by the by."

"Arm? I don't have a weapon," Bagheera replied. "Firearms are - very high-stakes, and…" He flicked out his claws as a demonstration.

"I really should have coordinated this better," Mr. McDuck muttered. "Well, Rockerduck's a close-combat sort, and Goldie doesn't escalate unless you start waving weapons around, so we'll probably be able to hold our own." He brandished his walking stick toward the hill. "Now, onward!"

They hadn't been walking for five minutes before they heard a distant cry just off their path. Bagheera only paused, but Mr. McDuck _froze_.

"That sounds like Goldie," he said.

Bagheera shrugged. "This is your show, Mr. McDuck. If you want us to go after her, it's your call."

"Yes, but…" Mr. McDuck took a step toward the direction of the cry before looking back at Bagheera. "What do you think, Bagheera?"

"I think you know Goldie better than I do," Bagheera said, "whether it's worth the risk she's trying to con you."

"Oh, she's trying to con me, lad," Mr. McDuck said. "I'm just wondering what the chances are that she's gotten herself into trouble, as well." He shook his head. "Only one way to find out, I suppose."

It took only a few minutes of following the cry before the rustling of their passage elicited another shout.

"Hello?"

"Is that you, Goldie?" Mr. McDuck called.

"Scroogie?" Her voice came from below, suggesting to Bagheera the reason for her earlier cry. He caught the back of the duck's coat before he could bolt after her, bringing him up short before he could step off the edge of a well-concealed ridge.

"Ach! Ah - thank you, Bagheera. Goldie? There's a ledge here-"

"Yeah, I didn't notice it, and I've gotten tangled up with a deadfall or something." There was quiet for a moment before Goldie spoke up again. "Do you think you could be a dear and help me out of here? We...could split whatever we get from selling this lotus thing."

"I can't recall you ever splitting anything in your _life_ , Goldie!"

"So, what? You're going to leave me to die down here? _Real_ nice!"

"Oh, come on, Goldie, I wouldn't leave you to _die_. You seem to think you're well enough to keep going after the Lotus, so you'd hold long enough for us to get back and tell someone back in Cape Suzette to come after you before you were even in any risk of dying of dehydration."

"There could be _wild beasts_ out here," Goldie retorted. "I could get ripped to pieces while you're gallivanting about looking for treasure."

"Hm." Mr. McDuck scratched his chin before nodding at Bagheera. "Alright. I'm sending my man down. Bagheera?"

"Are we talking about the panther with the crush on Shere Khan? Because he doesn't strike me as the sort of animal who makes good decisions."

Bagheera didn't bother protesting; it took most of his concentration to climb down the slope Goldie had fallen down, and it would be a lie, anyway. Besides, Mr. McDuck was doing enough arguing for both of them.

"Bagheera's one of the most level-headed people in my employ, and Shere Khan is on a very short list of competitors who haven't actually tried to kill me, so I think you can afford to trust him to help you up a hill."

"Oh, good." Bagheera hit the bottom of the slope at that point, finding Goldie sprawled under a mess of half-fallen trees. She waved at him. "Hey. Is a big, strong panther like you enough to get me out of here?"

"It should be fine, Miss...ah."

"Goldie is _fine_ , kitten," Goldie replied, rolling her eyes. "Come on, help me shove these off me."

"Are you sure you didn't hurt your spine? And we need to know if you were punctured when you fell-"

"I'm _stuck_ , not dying, kitten," Goldie retorted, throwing her shoulder against the largest tree in the pile. "Now help me move this."

It took only a few minutes to move the debris, and another few to check over Goldie to ensure she wasn't seriously injured, and then she was scrambling up the slope ahead of him. Bagheera arrived to Goldie fluttering her eyes at Mr. McDuck.

"So, Sroogie, how about we team up?"

"Team up? You stole that journal from Shere Khan to get the drop on us!" Bagheera growled as he joined them.

"And it turned out it was a mistake that nearly got me killed, so now I'm willing to let you and Scroogie do most of the work," Goldie replied. 

"Alright, Goldie," Mr. McDuck agreed.

"What?" Bagheera demanded. "Mr. McDuck, she just admitted to using us just because she can't get to the Lotus herself!"

"Of course, that's just how Goldie is," Mr. McDuck said. "But she's also right - teaming up against Rockerduck will better our chances of getting the Lotus ourselves. Besides, she's got the original journal."

"Yeah, um, about that," Goldie interrupted, raising one hand. "I ran into Rockerduck earlier today and he, uh, took the journal from me."

Mr. McDuck rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Goldie - you'll need a better story than John D Rockerduck outsmarting you."

Goldie crossed her arms to glower at Mr. McDuck. "He didn't _outsmart_ me; he has a partner and the two of them overpowered me. They took the journal and left me down _there_."

"A partner?" Bagheera demanded, imagining the worst, Rockerduck hiring muscle who had far more strength and experience than needed to take out Bagheera.

"Yeah, a weedy little nerd type," Goldie replied with a shrug. "I'd put money on him being some sort of witch, though; Rockerduck got in a few lucky hits."

" _Really_?" Mr. McDuck demanded with a groan. "Capturing magic artifacts is bad enough without real sorcerers getting involved."

Goldie shrugged, while Bagheera's stomach fell. All this talk of sorcerers brought to mind stories they'd told on camping trips, especially Shere Khan's. Animals who toyed with magic in his stories frequently encountered _real_ sorcerers, terrifying mythological beasts who seemed to know how to use that power without consequence. But it was far too late to back out, now, and in any case, he wouldn't forgive himself if Mr. McDuck got hurt because Bagheera left him alone to face Rockerduck (he didn't count Goldie because he was certain she would bail on them the moment things got dangerous).

"Well, at least we know beforehand," he offered, and Mr. McDuck brightened, slapping Bagheera on the back.

"Absolutely! Forewarned is forearmed. So let's get going."

As the hills loomed closer, the three of them grew tense. And as they reached the base of the collapsed hill, where roughly carved stairs descended into the earth, Mr. McDuck stopped, staring into the darkness below.

"You ready, Scrooge?" Goldie asked.

"Of course. Bagheera, get the torches."

They had plenty of those, especially as Goldie waved them off, assuring them she trusted them to keep them well-lit. McDuck led the way into the shrine, with Bagheera taking up the rear, as they descended. The journal was vague on the nature of the shrine, calling the journey from the hill to the resting place of the Lost Lotus 'strange', so they were reliant on their wits alone.

They had been walking for five minutes before they came to a landing, a square platform whose three other sides each had a set of stairs traveling further down.

"Damn," Mr. McDuck muttered. "I hate mazes."

"Yeah, there's always some sort of maze monster and inconvenient piles of bones," Goldie agreed.

Bagheera ignored the two of them as they began trading references to old adventures, including a labyrinth Goldie had left Mr. McDuck to starve in. He was trying to draw inspiration from Shere Khan, who had fancied himself a master hunter, and was the best of them at hide and seek, anyway. This was a shrine, which meant some people, at least, had come here. And people left traces - more, the longer the shrine had been here undisturbed by outsiders.

He let out a triumphant cry when he found it - subtle wear on the steps to their right. "I think I've got it, Mr. McDuck. More people have gone down these steps than the others."

"That's using your head, lad - good job." Mr. McDuck peered down the stairs Bagheera had located. "Unless you've got a better idea, Goldie?"

"No, I'll trust your man there to figure things out," she replied. "I'm keeping my eyes out for valuables."

Their passage was slowed as Bagheera took the lead, looking for the subtle traces of increased passage at each of the landings winding inexorably down into the earth. He became aware, as they continued, of an odd smell.

"That's sulfur," Mr. McDuck replied, when Bagheera pointed it out. "We might be getting near underground vents or something similar."

"Or lava flows," Goldie added. "This seems exactly the sort of situation where someone might have to have a dramatic fight over pools of lava."

The next few minutes of Bagheera leading, worrying about his chances of falling into a pool of lava, were quiet. The air grew noticeably warmer, lending credence to Goldie's theory. 

But Mr. McDuck had promised Bagheera would be safe. Even knowing Mr. McDuck couldn't guarantee that promise, Bagheera held onto it. 

"Do you smell that?" Goldie asked, and when Bagheera sniffed, he _did_ smell something. Barely detectable over the sulfurous smell was a sweet scent, something Bagheera couldn't place.

"Smells like some sort of flower," Mr. McDuck said, pushing past Bagheera on the stairs, just a moment before Goldie did. "We're almost there."

* * *

'It's a date' was such an ambiguous statement, Shere Khan mused as he glared out of the window of his office. It was, of course, an agreement to finalize a tentatively scheduled meeting. But it was also…

Well, an agreement to a date.

Shere Khan's observational data was thin, and was certain trying to draw some intelligence out of Baloo would be _worse_ than useless. 

It didn't help that Shere Khan hadn't had a specific intention when he'd asked Bagheera to join him for a social engagement before departing Cape Suzette, aside from the desire to see him again before their respective responsibilities separated them again. Romance (and Shere Khan was all but certain that Bagheera would prefer not to explore mere attraction without some suggestion it might lead to romance of some sort - he wouldn't put it past Bagheera to dream of grand romances more than he did - physical satisfaction) hadn't occurred to Shere Khan until Bagheera's response.

'It's a date' suggested all sorts of possibilities…

There was a script, Shere Khan was aware, of how his adult life was to go. Marriage, children, continuing the dynasty that had been handed to him. He had since managed to deflect all questions on that matter from his relatives, and intended to keep doing so. He didn't want the sort of spouses other Khan businessmen had - quiet, obedient wives who knew nothing of the business that supported their livelihoods. He wanted a partner, and someone he could trust - and as the latter was vanishingly rare, he'd made no effort looking for the former. And as for children, that was worse. No matter how hard you tried, there was no guarantee a child would become what you wanted them to.

Bagheera's return, however, had made Shere Khan...think.

Bagheera had always had Shere Khan's back, even when Shere Khan had vehemently objected. He'd proven highly competent in his field, as intelligent and curious as he'd been as a cub. If Shere Khan were looking for an animal he could trust, who could keep up with him, he didn't need to look further than to Bagheera.

...If Shere Khan were looking.

If Shere Khan were _looking_ , there were...aspects of Bagheera that were...attractive. Objectively speaking.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't have time to worry about whether Bagheera was attractive or would make a suitable partner or would make Shere Khan happy (Shere Khan couldn't say for certain if _anything_ would make him happy). He had his _friend_ back, and had a job to do, and trying to fit a - relationship into that (Shere Khan had a suspicion that he was as much of a romantic as Bagheera, when it came to...romance) was daunting.

Frightened of Bagheera? Ha! Shere Khan was _terrified_ of him.

"Oh, hey, Khanny."

There was a blond duck sitting across from Shere Khan's desk. She waved at him when she saw him looking (and damn it, thinking about his feelings were _distracting_ Shere Khan), grinning.

"Who are you?" Shere Khan demanded. "I would like to know what name to give the police when I request they arrest you for trespassing."

"Trespassing? Oh, you're _adorable_!" The duck kicked her feet up on the desk. "You can call be Goldie, though."

McDuck's rival, Shere Khan mused, albeit one he had a...friendlier relationship than he did with the others. And the one who'd likely stolen Shere Khan's journal.

"You have something that belongs to me, Miss Goldie, so I would appreciate its return so I don't have to add theft to the list of charges I press against you."

"Is that _all_ you'd like to press against you?" Goldie retorted, winking. Shere Khan didn't respond, so she slumped back, clicking her tongue. "Sorry, reflex - it's a good way to get men off-balance." She shrugged. "Anyway, I don't have the journal. John D. Rockerduck took it from me."

"And you came here to tell me that?"

Goldie shook her head. "No. I came here to tell you that Rockerduck is working with a partner. They overpowered me and stole the book, and then his partner...made a copy of me."

"A copy?"

"Oh yes," Goldie purred, leaning over the desk. "He conjured a mass of silver ectoplasm that turned into an exact duplicate of me. The sort of stuff you only hear about _real_ sorcerers doing - no chants, no amulets, just making the world do what you want."

"And you came to me? Why?"

"I don't want Rockerduck to get away with this," Goldie replied, settling back, crossing her arms. "And I figured telling you that your panther's in danger from Rockerduck, his wizard, and their doppelganger would be the fastest way to get back at him."


	6. Chapter 6

It was ten in the morning and Baloo was loading cargo for their next job when Shere Khan stormed into Higher for Hire. None of his bodyguards were present, unless he'd traded in his imposing men in suits for a short blond duck, who trailed in behind him. His eyes lit on Becky, and he strode toward her.

"Miss Cunningham," Shere Khan said, voice sharp, agitated, "I need to engage your services immediately."

"Well sorry, Mr. Khan, but we've got a run scheduled this morning," Becky replied, waving outside. "You might be able to drop a customer on short notice without affecting your margins, but we can't risk upsetting customers like that."

"I'll ship it at no charge myself," Shere Khan said, voice clipped, "if you accept my commission to leave _immediately_."

"Ah, Becky - anything the matter? Kit said he saw Shere Khan coming in here looking - hey, Mr. Khan." Baloo stopped in the door, eyes on Shere Khan, looking - wary, Becky guessed.

"I will pay _double_ your priority rate, and of course compensate you for any damage the Sea Duck may incur," Shere Khan continued, baring his teeth at Becky. She glanced at Baloo, who was still watching Shere Khan anxiously, but didn't seem...frightened of Shere Khan's erratic behavior. 

"You aren't trying to use Baloo as bait again, are you?" Becky asked.

"It's _Bagheera_ ," Shere Khan snapped, glaring at Baloo. "As I expected, McDuck has dragged him into more trouble than either of them can handle." He flicked his gaze at Becky. "I hesitate to say something that may entice you to take advantage of me, Miss Cunningham, but _money is no object_."

Shere Khan was a sharp businessman - he was an expert at exploiting any leverage he could find, concealing any weakness he had, and consequently _always_ had the upper hand. Becky couldn't imagine he'd ever _given_ someone the upper hand.

(But the quiet, cynical part of Becky's mind wondered if Shere Khan really had. He'd come to Higher for Hire for help, where he could be assured at least one person would offer a sympathetic ear, as Baloo had _apparently_ shared a childhood with this Bagheera along with Shere Khan, and Becky would get the full story about that someday. Becky would put money on Baloo helping Shere Khan even if she refused, meaning pushing Shere Khan too far might end up with her getting nothing and Baloo helping _anyway_ , which, given the mention of 'damages' would be disastrous.)

"Well, obviously, there's an upper limit," Becky replied. "You wouldn't give me a _billion_ dollars."

Shere Khan pulled himself up, brushing at his suit to smooth it out. "Of course not; I don't have that sort of liquidity." He narrowed his eyes at Becky - she'd been on the other side of glares like this before, but something about it felt different today. "If you would accept twenty-seven point one percent of the outstanding shares of Khan Enterprises, however...that would be within the realm of possibility. I would, however, have to condition the delivery of such a payment to the _safe return_ of my friend."

"Wait. What?" 

"This doesn't feel like the right time for a joke, Khanny," Baloo drawled.

"If the cost of ensuring a friend's safety is sharing the management of my company with a businesswoman as shrewd and calculating as Miss Cunninham, I will gladly pay it," Shere Khan retorted, and.

He was serious.

But at the same time, he was - on edge, angry…

_Scared_.

Baloo had glossed over much of the history between him, Louie, Shere Khan, and Bagheera, but he'd given her the impression Shere Khan wasn't much more affectionate than he was now. But time changed people, and age helped people learn what really mattered. It was - almost reassuring to discover there was something Shere Khan valued more than money.

"No, that - I was...exaggerating," Becky replied. "You said twice our emergency rate and damages, which is fine."

Shere Khan turned his gaze back on Becky, another shape to his frown. "I don't understand you, Miss Cunningham. I have come to you in a moment of weakness, admitted to you how much I would give up in exchange for your help, and you request...trifles?"

Becky shrugged. "Maybe I don't want to profit off of Baloo's friends' problems. Maybe I don't want to push myself into a business relationship you might regret when you're not thinking clearly. Maybe I know pushing you too far isn't worth the risk. Or maybe I'm just that nice. I don't think we have time to explore it - so _you're_ just going to have to accept how much you're paying for this and go rescue your friend."

Shere Khan nodded and turned away. "Bring the boy," he commanded Baloo. "I'm given to understand he's a halfway competent navigator."

* * *

"I, uh, didn't know you had that in you," Baloo called from the cockpit as they began their second run at the piece of hilly landscape that could hold the shrine of the Lost Lotus of Lemuria (and Shere Khan shivered at the thought; his cousin had told lurid, terrifying stories of Lemurian artifacts, sorcerous implements that could only be safely used by the nigh-omnipotent true sorcerers).

"Had what?" Shere Khan asked, hoping Baloo would take the edge in Shere Khan's voice as a sign to back off.

But Baloo wasn't great at taking hints (or wilfully ignored such cues if he wanted to talk anyway), so he continued.

"I mean, we _all_ knew you had a soft spot for Baggy, but tellin' Becky you'd hand over a quarter of your company for her help - that's something else."

"I...what?" Shere Khan had gotten a little...focused when he'd realized he needed to spearhead a rescue mission, and that the pilot of such a mission needed to be the sort of animal who didn't balk at _near_ -suicidal adventures, but he hadn't-

He _had_. Cunningham had been - well, probably not _smug_ , but she hadn't seemed to be treating the situation with the appropriate gravity, and Shere Khan was _already_ on edge. So he'd - pointed out he _could_ afford to pay her a billion dollars if she insisted.

"I guess Baggy was right all along, thinking you liked him best," Baloo said.

" _That_ goes without saying," Shere Khan muttered, scanning the forests for some sign of the crown-shaped hill.

"Still, you - I didn't realize you cared that much."

"Didn't you?" Shere Khan retorted, squeezing a knee with his hand to steady himself. "I should think you of all people would remember what happened to anyone who threatened you all when we were cubs." He raised his other hand, flicking out his claws as a demonstration. "The only difference now is I can muster substantially greater resources to resolve the problem."

"Aww, Khanny, I always knew you cared," Baloo crooned back.

Shere Khan sighed, trying to relax back against his seat. "I am not in the mood, Baloo. Our mutual friend is being led into a trap set by the third-most unscrupulous businessman I know and a man who may be a sorcerer."

"Oh," Baloo murmured. "I forgot you're afraid of magic."

"I'm not _afraid_!" Shere Khan snapped. "Magic is _dangerous_ , and those who wield it with _natural skill_ rather than through the aid of trinkets are doubly so. All I know about dealing with people like that are stories my family told me."

"The important thing to remember is very few sorcerers protect themselves against a surprise kick in the crotch," Goldie called from her seat. "They're _mortal_ , more or less."

"That piece of advice nearly makes up for you having provided McDuck's enemies the advantage that will put them in danger," Shere Khan grumbled, earning a glare from Goldie and a wave from Baloo.

"Hey, calm down, Khanny. Between the four of us, we'll show that sorcerer who's boss and get Bagheera back safe."

"We better," Shere Khan growled.

He held onto Baloo's assurance as they found the crown-shaped hill, the stairs plunging downward, and then they reached a landing with three staircases branching off from it.

Shere Khan waved at Baloo's navigator (whose relation to Baloo Shere Khan had yet to divine - whether he was Baloo's child or friend or - ward, or _whatever_ ). "Alright, do whatever you need to do."

"Khanny, what do you expect Kit to do?" Baloo asked. "We're underground, and don't have a map of this place. Some sort of landmark is sort of necessary for navigation."

"We could split up," the kid offered.

"Or I could use the magic compass I picked up a few months ago," Goldie said, producing a golden compass from a pocket. "It didn't turn out to be _quite_ as useful as promised, because it can only find things I've seen before, but Scrooge McDuck, it can find."

" _Magic_?" Shere Khan demanded. "That's only going to make things worse."

"Really?" Goldie laughed. "For one, we don't have any better ideas. For another, I used _this_ to find the cursed diamond engagement ring I lost in the Rome sewers."

"A _cursed_ ring?" Shere Khan asked.

"Oh don't worry - almost nothing terrible happened to me." Goldie flipped the compass open. "Now let's find Scroogie."

With Goldie in the lead, choosing descending paths apparently at random, Shere Khan was left with nothing more than time to think, starting with a valuation of their assets. Baloo's boy was skilled in the air, but without that maneuverability was small and not strong enough to take on a sorcerer. Baloo was strong, and tended to go with his gut - which made him useful if he could be pointed in the right direction. Goldie was...Shere Khan didn't trust her not to grab the treasure and flee at the first opportunity. And Shere Khan…

He hadn't had a real fight in years - displays of strength, or sometimes just his fangs, usually sufficed. He doubted a sorcerer would be put off by a mere threat of violence.

...Going into this mess with Scrooge McDuck as their best fighter didn't leave Shere Khan with much confidence.

But it was the best they had, so he unsheathed his claws, dragging them along the walls as they descended further into the earth, temperature rising as the scent of sulfur wafted across them.

"So, uh, do we have a plan?" Baloo asked.

"A series of priorities, really," Shere Khan replied. "First, ensure Bagheera, you...and the boy get out of here safely. Second, murder anyone who seems to be threatening us. Third, throw all of this magic crap into the lava flows I am almost certain are lurking around here."

"Hey!" Goldie shouted. "My magic crap is getting us through this stupid stair maze!"

"That is yet to be seen," Shere Khan muttered. 

"Aw, don't worry, Khanny," Baloo said, slapping Shere Khan's back. "I've got a good feeling about Goldie's compass. And I'm better at winging it, anyway - right, li'l britches?"

"Yeah, Baloo's great at thinking on his feet...Mr. Shere Khan. Sir."

Shere Khan grunted at the bear cub while Goldie frowned at her compass.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know - it stopped responding," she said.

"My fault, I'm afraid." A long-muzzled creature with sharp ears, fur so pale it was nearly white, dressed in a blood-red coat and wide-brimmed hat, crested the lip of the stairs just ahead of them, leaning on a long stick with something like an inverted top on its apex. They tilted the hat up to grin at Shere Khan, gold eyes flickering by the light of a blue diamond dangling from their neck. "This little stone is keeping your compass from working. But if you come with me without making a fuss, I promise it will be as good as new by the time you leave."

"Where's Baghera and McDuck?" Shere Khan demanded.

The newcomer's smile widened. "It's possible they're perfectly healthy. It's possible they're bleeding to death in the heart of this shrine. There's only one way to find out."

"If you've hurt him-"

The stranger laughed - a barking sound. "You sound like you believe there's something you can do that would worry me if I _have_. Come on - I'll show you downstairs, and we can work this whole thing out."

Shere Khan glanced desperately at his allies, but none looked ready to jump the newcomer. So he sighed. "Can I at least have the pleasure of your name?"

"You can call me Zura," they replied. "Come on." Shere Khan took the lead now, trailing just inside the reach of Zura as the temperature began to rise, the scent of sulfur intensified, and a strange, flowery scent wafted across Shere Khan's nose. While Baloo lagged as the heat increased, and Goldie's hair was soon slick with sweat, Zura seemed unaffected.

"You are aware the only reason I'm not trying to rip your face off is because you haven't made clear whether my friend is safe or not," Shere Khan said after a few minutes.

"That is one possibility, yes," Zura agreed. "Another being that I have taken steps to ensure you don't attempt to harm me. After all, I _am_ a sorcerer."

Shere Khan wasn't certain that was the case. Zura had a magic gem, and some sort of staff, but hadn't demonstrated any magic power of his own. Of course, enough artifacts hanging around would make things dangerous even without a real sorcerer. He eyed the gem around Zura's neck; they'd used it to keep Goldie's compass from working, which meant getting rid of it might be necessary for an escape. Shere Khan would prefer knowing what the staff did, as well as what other surprises Zura might have on them, but if necessary - he'd risk it.

"And here we are!" Zura called as he stepped down from the stairs, waving their free hand at a vast chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Blazing heat and sulfurous air rose from lava winding slowly past a dozen massive pillars of stone connected by wide stone bridges. Eleven of the pillars bore empty, unadorned altars; the twelfth was nearly impossible to see because of a pinprick of blinding red light within a curtain of flame, and distortions from the heat. Competing with even the scent of sulfur was a scent like a rose (and smoke, perhaps, unless that was just the lava).

John D. Rockerduck and something that looked like Goldie stood on one of the nearest pillars, bracketing a massive block of amber. Bagheera and McDuck were nowhere to be seen, but If Shere Khan squinted, he could see shadows inside the amber.

He turned on Zura, snarling, who just laughed. "Oh, calm down!" Zura retorted. "They're perfectly safe, just in - stasis. If John and I get what we want, I can let them out - it's basic leverage."

Shere Khan eyed Rockerduck and the fake Goldie; Rockerduck's hand was clenched around something that gleamed against the faint light of the cavern. "And what is it you want?" He saw Baloo whispering something to the kid, so resolved to keep Zura's attention on him.

"The Lost Lotus of Lemuria, but as you can see, there's a roadblock." Zura waved at the last pillar; squinting at it revealed the pinprick within the curtain of flame (more like a dome, Shere Khan realized) was set in the heart of a blurry object suspended atop what could have been an altar like on the other pillars. "I figured you all might be able to work your way around it given sufficient...motivation."

"It would have been less dangerous to kidnap Miss Cunningham to motivate Baloo," Shere Khan muttered, eyes still on Rockerduck. Rockerduck saw the attention and glared.

"What's the hold up, Zura?" Rockerduck demanded. "You said they'd figure this out in no time!"

"You're not very good at motivating people, are you?" Zura asked. "So, Mr. Khan? What do you say?"

"Prove they're alive," Shere Khan said, "or I shove you into the lava."

"Oh, goodness, you're not very trusting, are you?" Zura drew a circle in the air with their finger. The gem around their neck turned in place, turned again, and vanished. They then snapped their fingers and the amber melted away to reveal Bagheera and McDuck. Bagheera gasped and stumbled sideways while McDuck finished a wild swing with a cane. "See? They're-"

McDuck tackled Rockerduck, sending the shard of amber in his hand bouncing away into the lava. Bagheera snarled at the fake Goldie, who just smirked back at him and punched him in the kidneys before McDuck intercepted, knocking a follow-up kick aside with his cane.

"Ha! You aren't half the fighter the real Goldie is!"

"Quite possibly," Zura mused, before snapping their staff in half. The fake Goldie twisted and vanished like the diamond before a silvery mass shaped like a skeleton reappeared, melting and fusing until it took the form of McDuck. The duplicate grinned and launched himself at McDuck, while Zura twisted their wrist; a set of metal claws appeared in their hand. They grinned, slipping the claws on over their own. "You haven't provided any ideas, so you may be better leverage than-"

Bagheera slammed into Zura, sending them tumbling to the ground. Shere Khan unsheathed his claws and closed in, looking for an opening. But he wasn't certain he had the precision necessary to avoid Bagheera, making him hesitate. Bagheera wrenched one of the claws off of Zura's hand and hurled it to the side. The sorcerer howled and snapped their fingers, causing the claws - both the airborne one and the one still on their hand - to rotate and vanish. They scrambled to their feet and away from Bagheera, baring their teeth at him. 

"John? Finish this!"

"On it!" Rockerduck retorted. "McDuck mimic? Get the kid."

There was a sound of struggle, and then,

"Baloo!"

"Kit!"

The fake McDuck was holding the navigator (Kit, apparently) off the edge of the platform nearest the one holding the lotus.

"You let Kit go!" Baloo snapped.

"Do you want to reconsider your phrasing?" Rockerduck asked, ambling around the fake McDuck, smirking. He nodded at the McDuck, who yanked an airfoil off of Kit and dropped it into the lava.

"I apologize for my friend's lack of precision," Shere Khan said, turning his attention to Rockerduck. "Set his son down safely, or he and I will unleash upon you torments unimagined in _Hell_."

Rockerduck shook his head. "You've yet to learn what McDuck has long come to understand about me. You can fight as clever as you want - drag along as many friends as you want - but in the end, you just lack the nerves to do what you need to best me. But all I have to do is find your one weak point and ruthlessly exploit it, and suddenly you're helpless! Now, how about McDuck, Goldie, and the panther come help me figure out how to pick up the Lost Lotus without setting yourself on fire? Zura, you and the doppelganger keep an eye on the bear and Mr. Khan to make sure they don't do anything...rash, alright?"

Baloo gave Shere Khan a panicked look; Shere Khan gave his old friend a grim nod. He couldn't recall any extended meetings with the boy, but Baloo obviously cared for him. This sort of escalation, disproportionate response, made Shere Khan angry. No, he was well _beyond_ angry - he'd been merely angry discovering Rockerduck threatening Bagheera, but adding Baloo and Baloo's - whatever - to the mix was calling forth old memories, times when bullies or local gangs had threatened Bagheera, or Baloo, or Hathi, or even Louie and _Kaa_ , and Shere Khan had been forced to acknowledge what he usually concealed with indifference.

That he cared for these creatures, and if circumstances demanded it, he would _burn the world_ to keep them safe.

The others were by the shining altar - McDuck and Goldie arguing while Bagheera stared at the brightly shining object through the flames. Shere Khan decided to trust the artifact to Bagheera, and to the professional treasure hunters (who should be used to traps like domes of fire guarding their targets).

"You're not a real sorcerer," Shere Khan said, mild. "Are you?"

"And what makes you say that?"

"I've heard stories," Shere Khan replied. "A sorcerer wouldn't be letting a man like Rockerduck order him around. And...you seem a little more focused on your toys than real magic."

"Toys?" Zura retorted. "My doppelganger is a homunculus powered by blood and mana-infused oil - a _masterpiece_ of arcane construction."

"Really," Shere Khan murmured, glancing behind Zura just enough to catch Baloo's eyes. He couldn't dare try to convey a message, just catch Baloo's attention.

"And this, of course," Zura said, flipping his hand to produce a short, bloodied dagger with a curved hand guard, "is a blade that draws blood into power - poison to my enemies, strength to my allies, or life for me. Sorcerer or not, I possess a nigh-infinite collection of artifacts that augment my many other talents."

"At what cost?" Shere Khan asked. Behind Zura, Baloo was edging closer to the false McDuck, a grim look in his eyes. 

Zura laughed unkindly. "Sorcery, and its products, are dangerous only to those who look to them as easy solutions, or fail to learn the limitations of the power they wield."

Shere Khan flicked his gaze to the far platform; McDuck was arguing with Rockerduck while Goldie smiled at Bagheera.

...Shere Khan didn't _like_ that smile; it reminded him of young Louie trying to convince someone to do something ill-advised.

And then Baloo roared. Rather than wasting time, Shere Khan slashed his claws at Zura's wrist, snatching the dagger from their grip when they flinched in pain.

"Get it!" Goldie screamed, and a moment later, Shere Khan heard a pained snarl. He didn't dare look as he swiped at Zura with the dagger. Rather than defend, Zura twisted their hand, causing the strange diamond to reappear around their neck. Shere Khan caught them along the outside of their arm, but Zura just smirked.

"Whatever you thought you can do to me with that knife, it won't work," Zura snapped.

"It's still a _knife_ ," Shere Khan snarled, stabbing the blade into Zura's shoulder. The metal scraped against bone, nearly sticking, and when Shere Khan yanked it back, the wound didn't...bleed.

Zura grinned. "I already told you magic could make _constructs_ ; why should it be a surprise I am one myself?" They snapped out their arm to clamp around Shere Khan's wrist. Shere Khan tugged the knife out of his hand and hurled it over the edge of the platform. "Damn it!" Zura shoved Shere Khan aside and sprinted toward the edge, giving Shere Khan a moment to assess the others' status. 

Baloo was standing between the fake McDuck and Kit, fending off strikes from its cane. McDuck was beating a blanket over a smouldering form that was, by process of elimination - Shere Khan narrowed his eyes - Bagheera. And Goldie was, possibly unsurprisingly, nowhere to be found. 

And then Zura was back, the strange claws they'd been wearing earlier back, the crystal around their neck gone, face twisted into a scowl. "Do you know how _rare_ that blade is? Chances are I'm never going to be able to replace it!"

" _I win_!" 

Rockerduck was standing...as tall as a duck could, hands over his head, holding a canvas package in them. Bagheera was crouched behind him, where his fur _and_ clothing were singed, and McDuck was eyeing Rockerduck as if considering tackling him off the edge of the platform even if it killed them both.

"While all of you bickered and fought over trinkets and children, I kept my eye on the prize, and now the Lost Lotus of Lemuria is _mine_!" Rockerduck tore the wrapping away from the package to reveal a red flower nestled within the cloth, bright with a steady red glow. He drew a finger along one of the petals before yelping and jerking his hand back. "Hot!"

Zura paused, grin subtle, but worrying, feral. "That _trinket_ is the Scarlet Lotus. It carries within it the heart of flame; of course it is _hot_."

"The heart of flame, eh?" Rockerduck turned toward McDuck. " _Die_!" Flames erupted from the hand holding the Scarlet Lotus; McDuck shouted, startled, as he bounced out of the way of the fire, and Shere Khan heard a familiar snarl that sent his heart plummeting.

(Bagheera wouldn't - well, he _would_ ; things like that were built into his character.)

Rockerduck, though, screamed as well. The Scarlet Lotus, made of something heavier than mere leaves, fell to the ground next to him as he tucked his hand close to his chest. "What _was_ that?"

"Shere Khan could tell you." Zura had somehow crossed the space between Shere Khan and Rockerduck in that moment of inattention. They bent to pick up the Scarlet Lotus, rolling it between their fingers by its stem as they smirked. "Artifacts like this have a cost - to own, to use. You cannot use the fire of the Red Flower without risk to yourself, requiring you to weigh whether the blood this artifact extracts is worth the gain." They turned toward McDuck and Bagheera, both sprawled out just to the right of where Rockerduck had shot the flames. "For example, killing two of my enemies in one go - worth a little pain."

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll remember not to mention that when I sell this." Goldie was - implausibly - on the next platform, the Scarlet Lotus in her hand. She winked at Zura, who stared, blankly, at their empty hand.

"How-"

"That's the biggest mistake you can make when it comes to Goldie - taking your eyes off her," McDuck laughed, sitting up.

"Good to know," Zura replied, before wings erupted out from their shoulders and they sped toward Goldie. They collided, overshooting the edge of the platform as they fought over the flower.

"Let go!" Zura snarled as they tore at Goldie's arm.

"No!" She kicked Zura's groin, yelping as her knee collided with the same metal that Shere Khan had hit with his dagger. "I stole this off you fair and square!" They hit another platform, Zura actually colliding with the ground, bouncing to send them in the air again.

"Let it go, Goldie!" McDuck screamed as he scrambled after the struggling animals (well - animal and machine).

"No; I'm not letting this jerk _win_." The two of them abruptly spun as Goldie let go of the Scarlet Lotus, scrambled over Zura's back, and wrenched at the wings. 

"What the-"

"Catch, Scroogie!" Goldie shouted, leaping out of the grapple, sending Zura spiraling down past the nearest platform, wings flapping desperately. She hit McDuck, sending them sprawling, while Zura screamed in fury as they spiralled downward, voice abruptly cutting off.

Shere Khan scanned the assembled creatures in the following silence. Kit was pressed close against Baloo, hugging him tightly; neither he nor Baloo, hugging him in return, appeared injured. Goldie, standing over McDuck, had reached down to help him up, and they seemed to to be having...a moment. Shere Khan looked away, catching sight of Rockerduck near the entrance, edging toward the stairs; as no one was armed or threatening to throw people into the lava, Shere Khan decided to let it go. The doppelganger was nowhere to be seen, which, if they were lucky, meant it had been dispelled or banished with Zura's death.

And then there was Bagheera. Shere Khan had spent his assessment jogging to the platform where Bagheera had last fallen. Bagheera was sitting up, but hadn't otherwise moved, hands braced against the ground. Shere Khan moved a little faster, examining Bagheera for any sign of serious injury. It was, of course, hard to tell through his dark fur whether Bagheera's burns were serious, but he didn't seem to be bleeding, and when he saw Shere Khan, his gaze was clear, suggesting he hadn't hit his head in the scuffle.

He smiled at Shere Khan. "I thought you didn't like these adventures."

"I thought you were a _pilot_ , not a bodyguard," Shere Khan snapped. Bagheera's smile faded as he glanced past Shere Khan to McDuck. His fingers curled into a fist as he looked back up at Shere Khan, scowling...until the expression faded to something softer.

"...Sorry for worrying you," he said.

Shere Khan sniffed, feeling a prickle at his eyes that would have been _mortifying_ when he was younger, but. Bagheera wouldn't thank him for maintaining his cool, dismissive demeanor, and wouldn't respect him _less_ for letting those feelings show. "This is exactly why I hate these sort of adventures," he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes to clear them of the oncoming tears. "I don't like seeing people I care about taking unnecessary risks."

Bagheera shook his head. "I would have done the same for you-"

"It's not because it was _McDuck_ ," Shere Khan snarled. "We haven't seen - I only just realized - I don't want to _lose_ you."

"Yeah, don't you remember? Khanny hates other animals messing with his stuff." Baloo slung a heavy arm over Shere Khan's shoulder, grinning with all his teeth when Shere Khan tried to glare at him.

"Something like that," Shere Khan muttered. But Bagheera smiled at him, gaze gentle as most of the tension had leeched out of him.

"Anyway, Kit and the old folks think we should head up - Mr. McDuck's worried Mr. Rockerduck might try to trap us in here," Baloo said.

"A not unreasonable worry." Shere Khan shrugged off Baloo's arm to offer Bagheera his own. Bagheera stood with that help, leaning a little heavily on Shere Khan (Shere Khan made a note to force Bagheera into a hospital before they left town), but they made it to the stairs without much trouble. It was slow going, getting back to the surface, though - Goldie landing on him had bruised McDuck's hip, and Kit, despite appearances, was shaken (while not a part to the plane, Shere Khan was certain a decent airfoil was a necessary piece of equipment to the Higher for Hire crew, so added it to the list of costs).

"Are you okay?" Bagheera asked Shere Khan, nudging his side.

"That - creature didn't seem to think I was worth worrying about," Shere Khan retorted. "And besides, I don't take foolish risks."

"I don't know - you ran down here a little half-cocked," Bagheera said.

"There were extenuating circumstances," Shere Khan muttered. "You were in danger."

"Really? All of this was just - me?" Bagheera asked.

"I wasn't here for _McDuck's_ sake." Shere Khan risked a glance at Bagheera, who didn't look upset, at least. He was staring at Shere Khan, studying him, perhaps. Bagheera's mouth quirked up.

"You don't have to do stuff like this to prove - you care, Shere Khan."

"I didn't do this to prove anything to _you_ ," Shere Khan replied, keeping his gaze down, as if watching his footing. "I. Didn't want to lose you so soon after you - decided to seek me out again. Especially as. The last time we spoke, I was a little. Unclear. About our, um. Plans." He tried a smile, but the odd fluttering in his stomach killed it halfway to his mouth.

"Did you chase after me just to solidify our dinner plans?" Bagheera asked, a bubble in his voice as if he were about to start laughing.

"No," Shere Khan muttered, aware his voice was bordering on petulant. "Your phrasing was - it occurred to me that under the circumstance it could be considered…" He stopped, closing his eyes for a moment to steady himself. "I wouldn't be opposed - I. Would _like_ , if you weren't opposed to the prospect yourself, to consider our dinner having more - _romantic_ overtones than you may have understood."

There was a quiet gasp from Bagheera, and then silence. Shere Khan didn't look as he started walking again. And then he felt a paw wrapping around his own. He glanced sidelong at Bagheera, who was grinning, wide, toothy, almost as if he couldn't help it.

"Why Mr. Khan, are you _propositioning_ me?" Bagheera asked, voice lilting, if quiet.

"I'm hardly asking for a - quick lay," Shere Khan retorted, quick. "But that is the general - connotation of my request."

"Just having some time alone with you would have made my day, once," Bagheera mused. "But if you're amenable, I suppose I can aim a little higher."

"...That's a yes, is it?" Shere Khan asked.

Bagheera leaned in, close enough his whiskers brushed Shere Khan's cheek, but not close enough Shere Khan could be _certain_ he'd…

"Absolutely, Mr. Khan," Bagheera agreed, leaning a little heavier against Shere Khan, as if he were having difficulty standing. But his hand was still holding Shere Khan's, and the weight against him was warm, so Shere Khan didn't speak up.

(But he still made sure Bagheera went to the hospital once they returned to Cape Suzette.)


	7. Chapter 7

Shere Khan was humming under his breath as they left the movie theater - it sounded a bit like a medley of the music from the movie.

"I'm sorry about the movie. I thought it would be a little more exciting - from the name, you know," Bagheera said, interrupting Shere Khan's humming as he glanced sidelong at Bagheera with a smirk.

"Even if you weren't mistaken about the nature of the film, 'gold digging' sounds more like the sort of film McDuck would enjoy."

"Or Goldie," Bagheera mused, causing Shere Khan to chuckle.

"Yes, absolutely. Still, I enjoyed the music. And the company…" 

"Adequate?" Bagheera asked, teasing; he was rewarded with a half-hearted glare from Shere Khan.

"More than adequate," Shere Khan growled, before taking Bagheera's wrist in a loose grip and tugging him away from the movie theater. Bagheera followed readily until Shere Khan paused about half a block away and looked back at Bagheera, frowning slightly. "I had a plan, but it has only just occurred to me that I may have failed to adequately take your tastes into account."

"Dinner?" Bagheera asked, sliding close to Shere Khan. "I'm sure I'll manage wherever we go. And anyway, _I_ picked our entertainment."

"Hm," Shere Khan muttered. "If you're certain."

"I am," Bagheera replied, waiting until they were moving again to say, "You always were sweet when you weren't strutting around like God's gift to animalkind; it's good to see that hasn't changed."

Shere Khan huffed as he twisted to move through the evening crowd on the sidewalk, tugging Bagheera after him. "Were you hoping I wouldn't notice you have been deliberately trying to fluster me?"

Shere Khan didn't sound - annoyed, so Bagheera hummed in reply as he caught up with Shere Khan, smiling. "I noticed it was the best way to get you to show genuine emotion."

Shere Khan eyed Bagheera sidelong before shaking his head - he was smiling. "You seem to have decided that being my favorite gives you leave to mock me relentlessly without consequence."

"Mock?" Bagheera shifted closer so their arms were nearly pressed together. He grinned when Shere Khan glanced at him. "Under the circumstances, it might be considered flirting."

And Shere Khan froze, paused for a long moment before he kept walking. "I see. Flirting."

His voice was drifting into a flat tone Bagheera couldn't read, so Bagheera let Shere Khan a step or two ahead. "It _is_ a normal part of...romance. Which we're-"

"I know it's-" Shere Khan huffed. "I hope you don't expect much of the same in return."

"Is that it?" Bagheera stepped around Shere Khan so he could turn and smile back at him. "I'm doing well just hearing - that you like me."

"Ah, well." Shere Khan let go of Bagheera's hand and walked around him, forcing Bagheera to follow. "I _do_ like you. You're pleasant company, somewhat intelligent, and much more attractive than _Baloo_."

A sputtering laugh escaped Bagheera as he caught up with Shere Khan, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You're making _fun_ of me, Shere Khan."

"Under the circumstances, it might be considered flirting."

Bagheera ended up leaning on Shere Khan's shoulder for nearly a minute as he laughed. When he finally stopped and pushed himself up, Shere Khan was looking down at Bagheera with a smile - a subtle smile that sent a flutter through Bagheera's stomach. Of course they were technically on a date, but seeing that smile brought that thought to the forefront, not - possibilities, but the realization that Shere Khan's affection was - pervasive, to be brought to bear just by the sight of Bagheera laughing.

"I think there was a mention of dinner," Bagheera said, rather than dwelling too deeply on something that might push him to kiss Shere Khan in the middle of a crowded street.

"Of course," Shere Khan replied, tugging Bagheera along by the wrist again. They walked for only a few minutes more before they reached a restaurant off the main thoroughfare - a brightly-colored building a little smaller than some of the surrounding ones. Shere Khan waved at the host as they entered, leading them to a table toward the back of the dining room.

There were a dozen other couples eating at the restaurant, a handful of people alone at tables, and a family of around eight wolves raucously eating at a table on the other side of the dining room.

"I would have thought you'd rent out the whole restaurant - or at least a private room."

Shere Khan huffed. "Ironically, that attracts more attention than simply reserving a table. And, contrary to most animals' opinions, I do not always desire to be the center of attention."

"I don't know," Bagheera murmured. "You were a big fan of showing off when we were younger, and for someone vehemently opposed to involving yourself in Mr. McDuck's business, you made a big entrance back at the shrine." He flashed his teeth at Shere Khan. "One might get the impression you were trying to impress someone."

Shere Khan narrowed his eyes, though there was a hint of fang in his slight smile. "I don't recall having to try very hard to impress you, Bagheera."

"Well, I was a dumb cub back then - if someone were trying to impress me today, they'd have to work a little harder." Bagheera leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms in front of him as he smirked at Shere Khan.

Shere Khan stared at Bagheera for a quiet moment before snatching up his menu. Bagheera let his smirk widen before examining his own menu. He still wasn't quite used to being able to - not get the better of Shere Khan, but match his retorts, no longer afraid of stepping outside of whatever box he was supposed to stay within. And he couldn't quite believe he was capable of shocking Shere Khan into silence.

"And what sort of things would impress you now, Bagheera?" Shere Khan mused after they'd ordered, and Bagheera, sipping at his water, paused, settling the glass down in front of him. Shere Khan's smile had an edge to it that had rarely been aimed in Bagheera's direction - toothy, with a predatory glint in his eye. It sent a shiver along Bagheera's skin, as words failed _him_.

They had spent several days reconnecting, bantering, and, even before any formal statement of intent, _probably_ flirting. But with mutual intent declared, the look in Shere Khan's eyes was practically a _promise_.

Bagheera swallowed.

"You've been doing a pretty good job of it already," he said. "I mean - the library, dinner, putting up with the guys-"

"Those are things I would do for friends," Shere Khan retorted, leaning a little closer (he probably didn't mean to loom - it was most likely habit). "What sort of thing sweeps a man like _you_ off your feet?"

"Ah - that's a good start," Bagheera murmured. "Asking like that." He glanced up at Shere Khan, who was _studying_ him, and felt his cheeks heat. "You should know I'm not impressed by money."

"Otherwise _McDuck_ would have swept you off your feet already."

Bagheera burst into laughter, waving off Shere Khan's attempts to check on him until it subsided on its own. He shook his head at Shere Khan, who was - probably perturbed, watching Bagheera carefully, but not upset.

"I'm sorry, but _Mr. McDuck_? Aside from your wealth and ambition, you have nothing in common. For all your 'by tooth and claw' thing, you've got a _much_ better temper." He leaned across the table, keeping his gaze fixed on Shere Khan's, and decided to risk poking Shere Khan's nose, which caused the tiger to jerk back, eyes wide - startled, practically affronted. 

"You-" He narrowed his eyes, pulled back his lips to bare his teeth, leaned over, and flicked Bagheera's ear before settling back in his seat, smirking, satisfied, at the startled expression Bagheera was certain he was wearing. "I hope you didn't expect to do something like that without consequences."

"Well - ah, you say that, _Khanny_ ," Bagheera murmured, scrambling for some upper hand.

" _No_ ," Shere Khan growled. " **Louie** calls me 'Khanny'."

"Alright," Bagheera agreed, drawing a finger along the surface of the table in a rough circle. He was smiling, still, and could see a similar smile on Shere Khan's face. The moment held through their food being delivered, and the time they spent eating, until they were outside, and Shere Khan paused as they stepped back onto the main street.

Bagheera raised an eyebrow at him. "Shere Khan?"

"We aren't likely to see each other again soon. In that vein...I don't want for this evening to end just yet."

Shere Khan's shoulders were tense - Bagheera wondered if he were worried the request would come across as overreaching. Deciding some reassurance wouldn't hurt regardless, Bagheera stepped up to grab Shere Khan's own wrist and start walking in the direction of the Khan Industries building.

It took Shere Khan a few steps to regain his balance, at which point he demanded, "What are you-"

"Well, I have a hotel room occupied by at least one duck, and _you_ have a penthouse apartment you don't' share with anyone, so if we're going to spend more time together, there's one logical option."

"That...well." Shere Khan fell into step next to Bagheera, quiet for a few moments. "You… _have_ been enjoying yourself, right?"

"Absolutely," Bagheera agreed. "You're _pleasant company_." He grinned and nudged Shere Khan, slightly. "Not _quite_ what I once imagined spending time alone with you would be like, but I'm glad you mellowed."

Shere Khan snorted. At Bagheera's questioning look, he shook your head. "I don't think there's a creature alive who'd use the word 'mellow' to describe me."

Bagheera shrugged. "It's the confidence, mostly. You were always-"

"An insecure little shit," Shere Khan finished. "While now I'm-"

"A self-possessed man who's got just enough of a sense of humor not to be insufferable," Bagheera completed, offering Shere Khan a kind smile, winking just to show he wasn't trying to be mean. "As much as I idolized you, I don't think I ever would have dated you if you hadn't - changed the way you have."

"You don't, do you?" Shere Khan asked. "Idolize me," he clarified a moment later.

"I don't want to be like you," Bagheera replied. "But I still want your attention, your regard, your respect-"

"You do," Shere Khan interrupted, grinning weakly at Bagheera when he looked. "I'm glad you've grown up, that you aren't - trailing behind me anymore. That you aren't afraid of - being authentic around me."

"Well, I learned that sometimes pushing through the fear's for the best, no matter _how_ nervous I feel." Bagheera let the words settle for a moment; when it seemed Shere Khan wasn't going to reply, Bagheera added, "From you. _You_ taught me that."

"That's...good to know. That my memory wasn't just a - sore point for you."

"No, it was mostly - good," Bagheera replied. He kept his gaze forward as they walked. "I couldn't change the decision you'd made, and didn't expect you'd appreciate me showing up to challenge it."

"I - I'm glad you came to see me." Shere Khan didn't elaborate, and Bagheera didn't press. It didn't feel like he needed an explanation anyway.

They reached the Khan Industries building soon enough, and Bagheera let Shere Khan take the lead, through a quiet lobby and two elevators up past even his office. The apartment was vast - taking up most of the floor, Bagheera guessed. The decor was much like the building below, but with more plants crowded near the windows, more climbing vines than flowers, a sitting room immediately visible, which Shere Khan breezed through, pulling Bagheera along into a well-appointed kitchen. 

"Would you like anything to drink?" he asked.

"Just water," Bagheera replied. Shere Khan produced a glass carafe from his refrigerator, poured out two glasses, and handed one to Bagheera.

Some of the easy atmosphere from earlier seemed to have faded, as Shere Khan was staring at his glass, silent. Bagheera waited a moment before nudging Shere Khan's elbow, smiling as gently as he could manage when Shere Khan looked up at him.

"Is there a couch we could sit on somewhere?"

"...Yes." Shere Khan wound around Bagheera, who followed him out to the sitting room, and then through another door to a smaller room dominated by a desk, a plush loveseat, and a small bookshelf against the far wall, next to another door. "My study," he said, before dropping into one side of the loveseat. Bagheera sat next to him, a little gingerly, uncertain, until Shere Khan dropped his free hand on Bagheera's wrist. He relaxed, then, allowing him not to care where their bodies pressed against each other.

Shere Khan remained silent as he slowly relaxed next to Bagheera, hand drifting down to entangle his fingers with Bagheera's, leaning into the cushions, and spreading out just enough their sides were all but flush against each other. It was intimate, warm, to be so close, being given contact, comfort, while trusted to provide it in turn. Bagheera closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the touch.

Shere Khan then made a small sound, and Bagheera felt a small shock before grinning, turning to Shere Khan, whose expression was guarded.

"...You purred," Bagheera said.

Shere Khan narrowed his eyes at Bagheera. "Would you believe I was clearing my throat?"

"You _purred_ ," Bagheera repeated, making no effort to conceal his glee, and Shere Khan sighed. "What? It's _cute_."

"I am not _cute_ ," Shere Khan muttered rebelliously. He crossed his arms across his chest, but as he forgot to let go of Bagheera's hand first, some of the intended effect was lost.

Bagheera set down his drink and leaned in to run a finger along Shere Khan's closest ear, earning a full-body shiver from the tiger, and a cautious look. Bagheera smiled and reached back up, scratching gently behind Shere Khan's ear and down along the side of his neck, and Shere Khan repeated his purr, before tugging away, _almost_ , but not quite frowning, until Bagheera rubbed his cheek against Shere Khan's.

When Bagheera pulled back, Shere Khan was staring at him, his wide eyes making him look slightly more bewildered than Bagheera had ever seen him.

"What?"

"I…" Shere Khan pressed his free hand against his cheek. 

"What?" Bagheera repeated, leaning back in, nudging at Shere Khan's hand with his nose, pleased when Shere Khan let it drop, twisting so he could rest his muzzle alongside Shere Khan's, who tensed for a moment before relaxing, one arm snaking around Bagheera's waist to hold him in place.

"That's better," Bagheera murmured. He let the quiet persist for a moment. "Isn't it?"

"I - yes."

Bagheera reached around with one hand to again scratch the back of Shere Khan's neck, until Shere Khan purred again. He didn't cut himself off his time, just let the noise fall away naturally as he leaned his head against Bagheera's.

"Not that you aren't - very, very attractive," Bagheera said, tilting his head so he wasn't mumbling against the fur on Shere Khan's face, "but we're _here_ because I knew you could let yourself be...vulnerable. Sweet. _Cute_."

"Ah…" Shere Khan huffed quietly, before reaching a hand up to brush Bagheera's cheek - a feather-light touch that nevertheless sent a shiver along Bagheera's spine. When he looked up, Shere Khan was studying him; Bagheera shifted under the gaze, only to be brought up short by the arm still around him. Shere Khan smiled gently, leaning closer to pause with his mouth _almost_ touching Bagheera's. "You _are_ a romantic, after all. May I?"

Bagheera's surprised huff made the fur of Shere Khan's muzzle flutter in response, but he nodded quickly, because - this was _one_ reason why he was here. The kiss was tentative, despite Bagheera's consent, although when he leaned in, humming affirmatively, Shere Khan squeezed a little to draw him in, attempting a more assertive kiss, chest rumbling when Bagheera traced a finger along Shere Khan's back. When they separated, Shere Khan's gaze was lazy, half-lidded, bordering on smug. And then he yawned, jaws stretching with a slight crack before snapping closed. He offered Bagheera an almost embarrassed smile.

"I'm afraid it's been a long few days," Shere Khan murmured, though he didn't move, and Bagheera kept scratching along the side of Shere Khan's neck.

"We could go to bed," Bagheera replied, smiling at the shock in Shere Khan's expression - practically _scandalized_. And if Bagheera weren't himself tired, he might have made fun of Shere Khan a little. Instead he chuckled and rested his head on Shere Khan's shoulder. "We're not going to see each other for a while - so I'm being a little selfish. I'm sure you have a dozen guest rooms you could stick me in if you-"

"No," Shere Khan said. "Stay with me. If you want."

"Well," Bagheera said, "since you asked so nicely."

It took some time to find a comfortable position despite the fact that Shere Khan's bed was large enough to comfortably hold four and had something like ten pillows scattered across it. Bagheera lulled Shere Khan to sleep first through a continuation of his ministrations - gentle scratching through the fur of his ears, neck, back, before settling against the warmth of another body, of Shere Khan loose-limbed and relaxed, falling asleep soon after.

He _woke_ tangled up with Shere Khan, heavy limbs sprawled across his chest and legs, warm breath tickling his neck, and the occasional rumbling purr. Suspecting getting up would be impossible without waking Shere Khan, Bagheera settled in to watch the tiger sleep. It was strange how _ordinary_ Shere Khan looked sleeping - how much of his presence was bound up in poise and deliberation. He didn't look - vulnerable, as he did when his expression cracked in the face of real emotion, but...peaceful, certainly. 

Bagheera raised his head to nuzzle against the join between Shere Khan's neck and shoulder, and Shere Khan woke with a puzzled noise, squinting at Bagheera as he opened his eyes. And then he smiled, and it was different from the variety of smiles Bagheera had seen in the past few days. Shere Khan, it seemed, hadn't yet woken enough to don his normal demeanor, as evidenced when he yawned, his hold on Bagheera tightening briefly before he settled his head on Bagheera's chest, mumbling incoherently. It was like watching a kitten wake up.

"Are you alright?"

"If you ever tell anyone you heard me purr, I'll...be very disappointed," Shere Khan grumbled.

"Is that really the first thing you thought when you woke up?" Bagheera asked, unable to keep the laugh from his voice.

"No, the _first_ thing I thought was how such an attractive panther ended up in my bed," Shere Khan replied, yawning again.

"Not a morning person, are we, _Kitten_?" Bagheera teased, earning a slight glare, the first appearance of what he would have once called the 'real' Shere Khan.

"I get drowsy in the heat; you know that," Shere Khan protested, before flopping away onto his back, freeing Bagheera's limbs but leaving him a little disappointed. Of course, Shere Khan had his company to run, and Bagheera had an employer to fly back to Duckburg, but for a moment, it had been just them.

(He didn't comment on the nickname, meaning he either hoped it would go away if he just ignored it, or had no idea how to address a thing like that.)

"Also, you're a cuddler," Bagheera pointed out, grinning toothily at Shere Khan's still-sleepy glare. "I didn't pin _myself_ to the bed." He leaned in and _almost_ flicked Shere Khan's ear, before thinking better of it and just stroking the outline of it. He was rewarded with a rumbling purr and a sleepy smile.

"That may be," Shere Khan agreed, turning and confronting Bagheera with the reality of Shere Khan's bare chest, which he - hadn't really considered last night. He lost a moment of time, as Shere Khan was looming when Bagheera looked up. The tiger was smirking, almost like he'd known what he was doing to Bagheera, before leaning in for a leisurely good-morning kiss. That took a few moments - maybe a minute - of their morning, before Shere Khan pulled back, some of the good humor gone from his expression.

"You're leaving this morning," he said, voice a little flat.

"More or less," Bagheera agreed, trying to keep his voice casual. Because - this had been a few days of hanging out, and _one_ date - much too little time to be feeling melancholic about the separation looming in front of them.

(Except it was more than that. It was years of friendship, knowing, even if they'd never vocalized it, how important they were to each other. It was years of - longing, if not for romance than at least for companionship. It was finding a match in someone who he'd already been missing.)

"I don't suppose-"

"I'm not going to be a part of your - aerial harem," Bagheera replied, earning an indignant _squawk_ from Shere Khan.

" _Harem_? I am not-"

" _Several_ people have pointed out that your entire pilot corps is made up of panthers," Bagheera said; Shere Khan opened his mouth, as if to argue, before he shut it slowly.

"Huh," he murmured, and Bagheera couldn't help but chuckle. " _What_?" Shere Khan demanded.

"You haven't noticed?"

"I - no, it hadn't occurred to me," Shere Khan replied. I…I haven't been - they're not a _harem_." His face wrinkled in disgust. "They're _all_ excellent pilots," he added, in defense.

"The best theory _I've_ heard is that you've been subconsciously pining for me for _years_ ," Bagheera said, poking Shere Khan's chest before idly tracing a line along his shoulders. "Like a loyal dog."

"I...may have _missed_ you," Shere Khan replied, "and that may have - _colored_ my perceptions, but." Shere Khan ducked his head. "It wasn't until I _saw_ you again that I." He shrugged. "Discovered the man you've become is - what I wanted."

Bagheera blinked to clear the beginning of tears from his eyes, before closing in to kiss Shere Khan again. "You're very sweet - and discovering _that_ told me you're the tiger I wanted." Shere Khan offered Bagheera a hopeful smile that Bagheera almost couldn't bring himself to kill off. "But. I've got my life, and you've got yours." As the smile faded, Bagheera ran his hand along Shere Khan's muzzle, smiling in turn. "I'm not saying I don't want - this, us, to work out. Just that - it'll take some time to do it. And until then, we've got letters, and phones, and I'm _sure_ you're capable of taking a few days off every now and then."

"You'd be surprised," Shere Khan muttered, but however reluctantly, he let Bagheera go, who, equally reluctantly, left.

* * *

"You're being ridiculous," Shere Khan called from the living room.

Bagheera, still unpacking the last of his boxes in the bedroom, rolled his eyes. "You hoping that I'll agree with you if we have this discussion enough times is ridiculous."

Shere Khan, who had somehow located a T-shirt and worn pair of jeans for the process of helping Bagheera move, wandered into Bagheera's, glaring at - probably the entire room, or the concept of it. Bagheera sighed and strode to Shere Khan's side; he reached up, only for Shere Khan to duck his head away, taking a step back.

"Really?" Bagheera asked, chuckling as he met Shere Khan's gaze. Shere Khan couldn't quite manage angry, just about getting 'petulant' down. "Look, if we're going to have - fifteen kids, that penthouse of yours is practically a reasonably-sized living space. I'm not living there alone with my-" He tripped over the word, offering Shere Khan an awkward smile. "Anyway. It's a nice place to visit, but it's like a tomb. I don't know how _you_ deal with it, Kitten."

"I work eighteen-hour days," Shere Khan replied, hardening his gaze when Bagheera tried to glare at him (Bagheera was almost certain the odd little nickname wasn't inspiring the glare. Probably). "I run a _multi-billion-dollar_ business," Shere Khan protested further.

"Still." Bagheera stepped in again, and Shere Khan relented, staying in place as Bagheera pulled him close, fingers carding through the fur of Shere Khan's arms. He smiled at Shere Khan until Shere Khan actually made eye contact, frown easing out until he sighed, shoulders slumping as he released his tension. "That's better."

"This is hardly better than you living in Duckburg," Shere Khan muttered, likely fully aware how ridiculous he sounded, claiming living a fifteen-minute drive apart was as much of a strain on their relationship as being separated by a several-hour flight.

"I could beg Mr. McDuck to take me back," Bagheera teased back. "I bet I could even negotiate a raise out of it."

" _Don't_ ," Shere Khan growled. "...please. This is better," he acknowledged, though Bagheera could see it cost him to say it. Shere Khan huffed and backed away, tilting his head as he looked Bagheera up and down, lingering as he returned to Bagheera's face, smiling in a way Bagheera hadn't seen except in the few times in the past six months when he'd woken in the same bed with Shere Khan. It was unguarded, sincere, and _happy_. Bagheera squirmed a little in the wake of it, uncertain what Shere Khan was seeing.

"...What?" he asked.

"You're here," Shere Khan said, voice quiet. _Awed_. "To stay."

"Yeah, _here_ , not-"

Shere Khan was suddenly in Bagheera's space, arms slipping under his elbows to pull him close, cheeks almost touching. "I _missed_ you," Shere Khan growled. And Bagheera hadn't exactly worried Shere Khan was - bored with him, or tired of dealing with the distance, but the ferocity of Shere Khan's declaration eased the tension of whatever worries the distance had built up.

"I missed you, too," Bagheera said, easily. "I wouldn't have quit working for Mr. McDuck if I hadn't."

"He isn't upset about that, is he?"

Bagheera snorted. "No, it was amicable all around. He put in a good word for me down at the Cape Suzette Chronicle. Why, are you scared of him?"

Shere Khan scowled. " _No_. McDuck just has enough enemies; he doesn't need to go around starting a feud with me for stealing away his personal pilot."

Bagheera grinned and leaned the rest of the way in so he was flush with Shere Khan's chest, allowing a moment to savor the warmth and the steady beat of Shere Khan's heart. "You make it sound so sordid - like the two of you have been fighting over me." Before Shere Khan could reply, Bagheera kissed the point of his chin and grinned at him. "Mr. McDuck wouldn't have had a chance, Kitten."

"Ah-" Bagheera wondered if Shere Khan would ever stop looking slightly bewildered when Bagheera made grand declarations like that. He hoped not.

"Anyway," Shere Khan said after the few moments it took to compose himself, "I worry you will miss flying."

"Oh, didn't I mention?" Bagheera squeezed his arms around Shere Khan. "Miss Cunningham's been debating buying a second plane, except she can't afford a second full-time pilot. So we had a chat, and once her loan goes through, I'll be moonlighting at Higher for Hire."

"Hmph," Shere Khan grumbled, " _I_ could have-"

Bagheera kissed the words out of Shere Khan's mouth and smiled at him - trying to put as much affection as he could into it. "You really couldn't. I love you, Shere Khan, but working for you isn't a great idea." He yawned, then, finding the day's labor catching up with him. "Dinner or bed?" he asked.

"I don't - what?" Shere Khan blinked, gaze drifting across Bagheera's face. 

"I'm a little hungry, but I'm tired, too - and given how much you _insisted_ on paying for my bed, I might as well get some use out of it."

"No, you…" Shere Khan shook his head, as if trying to clear it. " _Before_ that, it sounded like you made a...declaration about your feelings. Toward me." He pushed Shere Khan back to arms' length, setting his jaw. "So it may be appropriate for me to discuss mine for you." 

"You don't have to-" Bagheera started, only to be cut off by Shere Khan.

"There is very little I _have_ to do, Bagheera, but prior experience has taught me that staying silent on the subject on my feelings about _you_ is a poor option." Shere Khan took a breath. "I am fairly certain I love you...despite a lack of comparative evidence. My feelings are beyond - mere affection for you. You are a comfort to me, and a challenge - one I gratefully undertake. If-" He shook his head, but was smiling - his gentle smile, with a hint of tension in his shoulders, and ears, a reminder that Shere Khan had made his declaration only half-certain he'd heard Bagheera say so first. This wasn't Shere Khan's cubhood courage, bluster plastered over his fears, but true courage - and Bagheera couldn't do less than respond in kind.

(Even if the words had slipped out - unintended, but no less sincere than Shere Khan's.)

"I know everyone used to - joke about me, maybe act a little like I was always in love with you, but. I looked up to you when we were cubs, and I'm so - impressed by the man you've become." He brushed his fingers along the back of Shere Khan's hand, grinning at the small twitch of Shere Khan's nose at the touch. "There's so much about you I like - some echoes of the tiger cub you used to be, and some who you've grown to be. I love you, and...I'm so thankful I've had the chance to do so."

Bagheera should have realized how saying something like that would affect Shere Khan, but in his defense - he'd never seen Shere Khan in the wake of being told he was loved.

So when Shere Khan ran into Bagheera with a desperate kiss, Bagheera stumbled back, sending them sprawling out onto the bed. Shere Khan, crouched over Bagheera, stared at him wide-eyed, whole body tense, until Bagheera started giggling, turning Shere Khan's shock to exploratory annoyance - not angry, but ready to be if need be.

"I'm sorry," Bagheera said through his laugh. "I've just never seen you lose control like that. So overwhelmed you had to-"

" _Yes_ ," Shere Khan agreed, breath heavy across Bagheera's muzzle. "Overwhelmed is an...apt description, my dear."

"Ah-"

It wasn't how Bagheera had _expected_ to break in the bed in his new apartment after a long day of moving in, but he found his second wind in light of Shere Khan's passion, and it wasn't an _unpleasant_ diversion.

Not unpleasant at all.

* * *

"No, I _honestly_ might die if I never figure this out," Louie insisted.

Bagheera rolled his eyes and took a long drink of his beer before replying, "Then I'll speak well of you at your funeral."

Louie gasped, hand on his chest, affecting a pretty good imitation of affronted pain. "Betrayal!"

Baloo chuckled. "What did you expect, Louie? With all the time the two of them spend together, Shere Khan's grouchiness was _bound_ to rub off on Bagheera."

"Shere Khan wouldn't have committed to speaking _well_ of you," Bagheera replied with a smirk.

" _Still_ ," Louie whined, "you have to tell me. Were all those panthers some sort of secret harem? Part of a worldwide conspiracy of big cats? I'll even believe it if you tell me it's a coincidence - I just have to _know_!"

"Shere Khan arranged to have Baloo kidnapped, once," Bagheera replied, instead of acknowledging Louie's demand.

"What?" Baloo and Louie demanded, in unison.

Bagheera flashed his teeth at Baloo. "Yeah - Shere Khan made a _very nice gesture_ and you were taking advantage." He leaned back, folding his arms, watching until Baloo's eyes widened slightly, realization of _what_ circumstances Bagheera was referring to. "If it makes you feel better, he _probably_ wouldn't have had you killed."

(He almost certainly wouldn't have, _especially_ given the whole thing had started with Baloo saving Shere Khan's life.)

"No, come on, you're avoiding the question!" Louie protested.

Bagheera sighed; he'd hoped he could distract Louie by deflecting to one of Shere Khan's lesser secrets, but it looked like he was going to have to be direct.

"You're going to have to learn to live with disappointment," Bagheera said, offering Louie his best 'unimpressed Shere Khan' stare. And then he glanced over Louie's shoulder toward the stage. "Looks like Shere Khan's on deck, Lou - you better not make him go up there without backup."

Louie groaned. "Fine, _fine_." He scrambled to the piano, where he sat, cracking his knuckles to ready accompanying Shere Khan, who had _finally_ given in and agreed to sing at one of Louie's open-mic nights.

Up on the stage, Shere Khan, dressed in a loose, untucked shirt and jeans he'd argued was akin to dressing in rags, gave the bar patrons a wide, sharp smile.

"Good evening," he said. "I hope you're all enjoying yourselves. This is the result of something like a dare, so." He snapped his fingers at Louie, who started playing, and began keeping time until he started singing.

And he wasn't a _professional_ , but it was clear to Bagheera, at least, that he was enjoying himself despite his (token) protests. And the other animals in the bar seemed to enjoy it, even if a few flashes suggested there would be pictures in the gossip section of the papers about Shere Khan slumming it.

But what did that matter? Shere Khan had friends, and people around Cape Suzette knew it, and the world hadn't ended.

He had more than that, Bagheera thought, brightly, as Shere Khan winked at him from stage, and it had done both of them well.

And he didn't think they'd have to be as lucky as Mr. McDuck to keep ahold of it for a long time.


End file.
